WatchGuard
Encyclopedia
WatchGuard Technologies, a pioneer in network security appliances, is a provider of Internet security solutions for small to mid-sized businesses worldwide.
operating system. In February 1996, Mazama merged with Seattle Software Labs and the Firebox, one of the first widely available network security appliances, was born. Seattle Software Labs became WatchGuard in early 1997 after raising venture capital from OVP Ventures, Matrix Partners, and RRE Ventures
. Expanding on the success of the Firebox 10 product, the company introduced the Firebox 100 in September 1997.
In July 1999 the company filed for an initial public offering
on the NASDAQ
under the ticker symbol WGRD and remained publicly traded until the company was purchased for $151m by Francisco Partners and Vector Capital and taken private in October 2006.
In 2009, the acquisition of Toronto-based BorderWare Technologies allowed WatchGuard to enlarge its portfolio of network security
products to include email and web content security, data loss prevention, and email encryption.
History
The company's first-generation security appliance was developed by Mazama Software Labs, a Seattle software company founded in 1995 by David Bonn to create easy-to-use Internet security products based on the LinuxLinux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
operating system. In February 1996, Mazama merged with Seattle Software Labs and the Firebox, one of the first widely available network security appliances, was born. Seattle Software Labs became WatchGuard in early 1997 after raising venture capital from OVP Ventures, Matrix Partners, and RRE Ventures
RRE Ventures
RRE Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on investments across several disciplines, including software, internet, mobile, financial services, environmental, and other related technologies, primarily within the United States, and especially in and around New York...
. Expanding on the success of the Firebox 10 product, the company introduced the Firebox 100 in September 1997.
In July 1999 the company filed for an initial public offering
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
on the NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
under the ticker symbol WGRD and remained publicly traded until the company was purchased for $151m by Francisco Partners and Vector Capital and taken private in October 2006.
In 2009, the acquisition of Toronto-based BorderWare Technologies allowed WatchGuard to enlarge its portfolio of network security
Network security
In the field of networking, the area of network security consists of the provisions and policies adopted by the network administrator to prevent and monitor unauthorized access, misuse, modification, or denial of the computer network and network-accessible resources...
products to include email and web content security, data loss prevention, and email encryption.