Google buys security firm Postini for $950m

Google buys security firm Postini for $950m

SAN FRANCISCO - INTERNET search giant Google said Monday it agreed to buy Web security firm Postini for US$625 million (S$950 million) in cash, expanding its business software applications. Google plans to operate the company as a subsidiary in its Google Apps (applications) unit, which includes its email, calendar and documents applications. Postini provides email security, message archiving and instant-messaging services. It has 35,000 businesses as customers and 10 million users, according to Google. ‘With this transaction, we’re reinforcing our commitment to delivering compelling hosted applications to businesses of all sizes,’ said Eric Schmidt, chairman and chief executive of Google. Dave Girouard, a Google vice president, said Google Apps was launched ’so that it would be easier for employees to communicate and share information while reducing the hassles and costs associated with enterprise software’. He said every day, more than 1,000 small businesses sign up for these services. Google is now working to lure larger companies to Google Apps and needs to consider certain business and security needs. ‘That’s why we’re excited to share the news that we’ve agreed to acquire Postini, a company that offers security and corporate compliance solutions for email, IM (instant messaging), and other web-based communications.’ — AFP

 Source : The Straits Times, 09 July 2007

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