[Article]MS axes Unix anti-virus sales after bagging Sybari

Orion

The Register wrote:

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Microsoft wasted no time after tying up the acquisition of email security firm Sybari Software on Wednesday before axing sales of the latter's line of anti-virus products for Unix and Linux servers.

Post acquisition, Syabri becomes a Microsoft subsidiary focusing on marketing anti-virus and anti-spam protection for Microsoft messaging and collaboration servers. It will continue to market Sybari's Lotus Domino products but will not sell Antigen versions for Unix and Linux. Microsoft said it plans to continue to support Sybari products under existing pricing and licensing terms and support existing users on non-Windows platforms.

Sybari's security packages incorporate multiple third party anti-virus scanning engines. Microsoft plans to add the scanning technolgy from GeCAD, the Romanian anti-virus firm it acquired in 2003, to the mix. Microsoft ditched GeCAD's Nix product lines after that acquisition so it comes as no great surprise that there's no future for Antigen on Nix either. Anti-virus products for Unix servers occupy a useful niche in the market not because there are many viruses that infect Unix platforms but because they help prevent these servers from hosting Windows malware.

Typical really :mad:

seamus

Well, it wouldn't really make a whole pile of sense for MS people to spend their time developing on another OS would it? Although there are rumours of depts consisting of hundreds of Macs somewhere in MS's bowels.

A bold move tbh. Very easy to get pulled for anti-competitiveness for this.

Syth

I interpret this as Microsoft admiting that Unix OSs are much less suspectable to viruses and that Windows OSs need virus protection more.

Orion

Rofl :d

Hotblack Desiato

Syth wrote:

I interpret this as Microsoft admiting that Unix OSs are much less suspectable to viruses and that Windows OSs need virus protection more.

AFAIK those products were for Unix mail servers - to prevent 'doze boxes on the corporate lan catching a cold...

Red Alert

Can't you just see the product lines - Server 2003, Exchange 2003 with free antivirus. Then MS would make it out that they're protecting the network and the trusty old Unix mail server isn't. Personally I'd stick with Sophos (how long will they last if they use the GeCAD engine?) or ClamAV.

hostyle

Red Alert wrote:

Can't you just see the product lines - Server 2003, Exchange 2003 with free antivirus. Then MS would make it out that they're protecting the network and the trusty old Unix mail server isn't.

Yeah, but ptotecting the network from what? Windows machines.

Cake Fiend

seamus wrote:

Well, it wouldn't really make a whole pile of sense for MS people to spend their time developing on another OS would it?

Pity, they might have learnt something...