Dell to Acquire SonicWALL

Seeking to continue it’s expansion in the I.T. world, Dell is buying the tech-security company SonicWALL, Inc. The deal is said to be completed within the second fiscal quarter of 2012.  Although the companies did not disclose the amount that Dell will pay, people familiar with the matter values it around $1.2 billion.

SonicWALL offers several security-related products and solutions, which will become Dell’s center of excellence for security appliance solutions.  John Swainson, the leader of Dell’s software group states, “Dell is building a software portfolio focused on highly profitable and fast-growing segments.  SonicWell … positions us well in a fast-growing segment of the security business, and the SonicWall team … is a great cultural fit with Dell.”  Dell already has an extensive security portfolio, called Dell SecureWorks. Under that flag the company offers firewalls, security monitoring and threat intelligence services, among other things, to organizations of all sizes.

Dell not only is acquiring  SonicWALL’s products, 130 registered and pending patents, but also their 300,000 customers in 50 countries, and all 950 of their employees.