SonicWall
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cybersecurity |
| Founded | August 1991 |
| Founder | Sreekanth Ravi, Sudhakar Ravi |
| Headquarters | Milpitas, California , United States |
Key people | Bob VanKirk (president and CEO), Bill Conner (executive chairman) |
| Products | Next-generation firewalls, unified threat management (UTM) systems, virtual private networks (VPNs), virtual firewall solutions, software-defined WAN (SD-WAN), cloud-based security services, anti-spam email technologies |
Number of employees | 1000–5000 |
| Parent | Francisco Partners and Elliott Management |
SonicWall Inc. is a U.S.-based cybersecurity firm that concentrates on Internet appliances designed for network protection and content management. Its range of offerings encompasses next-generation firewalls, unified threat management (UTM) systems, virtual private networks (VPNs), virtual firewall solutions, software-defined WAN (SD-WAN), cloud-based security services, and anti-spam email technologies. Additionally, SonicWall provides subscription-driven information services and assists organizations in adhering to standards such as HIPAA and PCI-DSS.
Established in August 1991 by Sreekanth and Sudhakar Ravi, SonicWall’s corporate headquarters are located in Milpitas, California. The company entered the public market in 1999 but was removed from the stock exchange in 2010. Dell acquired SonicWall in 2012, at which time the company held approximately 130 patents and employed nearly 950 personnel. Dell finalized this acquisition on May 9, 2012.
In June 2016, ownership of SonicWall transferred from Dell to private equity investors Francisco Partners and Elliott Management. Presently, SonicWall operates as a privately held company with a workforce ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 employees. Leadership includes Bob VanKirk as president and CEO, alongside Bill Conner serving as executive chairman.
History
Sonic Systems was created in 1991 by brothers Sreekanth and Sudhakar Ravi with an initial focus on producing Ethernet and Fast Ethernet hardware tailored for Apple computers. Towards the end of the 1990s, the firm introduced a security appliance initially named Interpol, which was later renamed SonicWALL. This product targeted small business clients by offering firewall and VPN capabilities. As demand for security products grew significantly, the company redirected its efforts exclusively toward network security solutions.
In 1999, Sonic Systems rebranded itself as SonicWALL, Inc., launching an initial public offering on Nasdaq under the ticker SNWL. By 2001, the company had upgraded its Global Management System software to accommodate up to 10,000 VPN endpoints. Matthew T. Medeiros assumed the role of CEO in 2003 and guided the company’s expansion through strategic acquisitions.
Notable acquisitions include enKoo and Lasso Logic in 2005, followed by Aventail Corporation in 2007, which broadened SonicWall’s product lineup and market presence. In 2010, SonicWall merged with an investor consortium led by Thoma Bravo and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan; this transaction resulted in the company’s withdrawal from Nasdaq trading.
Dell purchased SonicWall in 2012 but divested it four years later to private equity firms Francisco Partners and Elliott Management. In 2021, SonicWall’s SecureFirst partner program received a five-star rating from CRN’s Partner Program Guide.
In January 2021, SonicWall revealed it had been targeted by a sophisticated zero-day cyberattack affecting its secure remote access products; separate vulnerabilities exploited by former hacker Darren Martyn were confirmed as patched since 2015. Early in 2022, SonicWall addressed the Y2K22 issue impacting email security and firewall products by promptly releasing patches.
On July 21, 2022, leadership changes took place when Bill Conner stepped into the role of Executive Chairman of the Board while former Chief Revenue Officer Bob VanKirk was promoted to president and CEO to lead SonicWall’s forthcoming growth initiatives.