Symantec and Message Systems to develop Next Generation Security and Messaging Solutions

Symantec Corp. and Message Systems have announced a joint initiative, Service Provider Next Gen, under a strategic partnership with the objective of combining products and services from the two companies to provide a suite of message security, management and other business solutions for telcos, ISPs, hosting companies and other service providers.

As part of this announcement, Symantec and Message Systems are also releasing their first solution under the Service Provider Next Gen initiative, combining Brightmail and Momentum at the edge of the network. Brightmail in combination with Momentum offers an integrated solution that combines the Symantec Brightmail Message Filter and Symantec Brightmail Traffic Shaper products with Message Systems' Momentum platform. It offers optimal message filtering and management results with higher financial return and lower cost of ownership.

"Service providers are struggling to simultaneously manage the increasing volume and complexity of the digital messages they process while fending off ever-changing threats to their networks and customers and competitive challenges to their business models," said Art Gilliland, vice president, product management, Enterprise Security Group, Symantec. "Through the joint initiative with Message Systems, we can build a suite of solutions that address these challenges, starting with combining Brightmail and Momentum in a way that optimizes the technical strengths of both companies."

Combining Brightmail with Momentum offers a comprehensive and efficient edge solution powered by one of the most sophisticated message management platforms on the market. Specific capabilities include:

• Better decision-making through shared intelligence from other networks and data sources
• Lower costs, greater efficiency via connection/bandwidth management
• Advanced content filtering for reliable detection of sophisticated threats
• Simplified management and solid business continuity

In addition to offering this product combination today, the two companies will bundle other products and services under the Service Provider Next Gen initiative to address the broader business needs of service providers in 2010.

"The Symantec/Message Systems partnership represents the convergence of two technology leaders with a shared vision for the future of digital messaging," said David Harvey, vice president of business development and partners for Message Systems. "Together, Symantec and Message Systems have enormous resources for technical and product innovation, and we've joined forces to achieve our vision and meet the needs of service providers for innovative solutions and superior service quality on a global basis."