Symantec SaaS: The Man Behind the Curtain

Symantec CEO Enrique Salem has been talking up Symantec’s Software as a Service (SaaS) strategy in recent months. But the man who will ultimately make-or-break Symantec’s SaaS efforts is Adrian Chamberlain. Here’s the scoop.

Chamberlain joined Symantec as part of the MessageLabs acquisition in 2008. Fast forward to the present, and Chamberlain is senior VP of SaaS at Symantec. And apparently, he’s already putting his stamp on Symantec’s SaaS efforts.

A prime example: Keep a close eye on Symantec Protection Network (SPN), which started out as an on-demand storage service for VARs to resell to their customers. Symantec has spent the past two years trying to figure out if/when to add security services to SPN. Now, a MessageLabs button — promoting anti-spam, anti-virus and othe SaaS-related services — has surfaced on the SPN web site. No doubt, more SaaS moves are coming.

And for good reason. Symantec’s first quarter profits plunged 58 percent and fell short of Wall Street’s concensus expectations. Somehow, Symantec hasn’t exactly cashed in on two of the fastest-growing markets for MSPs: SaaS storage and SaaS security. CEO Salem promised to push the Symantec deeper into the SaaS market in June 2009.

Meanwhile, Symantec is simplifying its security marketing and communications around four core messages, according to Francis deSouza, senior VP of Symantec’s Enterprise Security Group.

Still, competition looms around every corner. McAfee is acquiring SaaS security specialist MX Logic, Trend Micro continues to accelerate its hosted security strategy, and Sophos is winning partners by sticking with a more traditional on-premise security strategy.

Where is Chamberlain taking Symantec SaaS next? The VAR Guy is reaching out to him now for more perspectives.

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