Barracuda adds IM protection to lineup

Barracuda Networks on Monday announced its entry into the increasingly crowded instant messaging security market. In the first quarter of next year, Barracuda plans to start shipping its first security appliances designed to protect IM traffic, the Mountain View, Calif., company said in a statement. It faces competition from companies such as IM specialists Akonix Systems and IMlogic, which also sell appliances.

The new Barracuda IM Firewall works with public IM services and includes its own IM server that keeps internal communications inside a company's network, Barracuda said. It offers features such as traffic filtering, archiving and policy management for all instant messages, the company said. The Barracuda IM Firewall comes in five models and supports up to 7,000 users. Pricing will range from $1,999 to $27,999, the company said.