Dell has agreed to buy SonicWall, a provider of firewall and unified threat management software. Dell said the deal will expand its security portfolio and allow it to offer a broader product range to business customers. Dell already offers the SecureWorks security services, cloud security products and data encryption software, as well as the Dell KACE vulnerability and patch management. In addition to its product portfolio, SonicWall brings over 130 patents, registered and pending, and a development team working on its own security gateway intellectual property. More than 300,000 customers use SonicWall security products, and the company has a strong channel programme with 15,000 resellers worldwide. Around 950 employees from SonicWall will join Dell as a result of the takeover. No financial details were released, but people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal that the deal values SonicWall at USD 1.2 billion, including debt. SonicWall is controlled by a private-equity consortium led by Thoma Bravo, which acquired the company for USD 717 million in 2010.
