1. How does eScan look at the changing landscape of security solutions today?
eScan has been focused towards providing a world-class product and experience for its users. With increasing penetration of mobility, the security for mobile devices is now becoming a major concern for enterprises to individual users today. The number of smartphone users is going to be more than 200 million by 2016 according to some leading research estimates. Thus eScan Mobile Security for Android phones, iPhones & iPads and Tablet Security for Android are already been made ready to address the security threats emerging in the mobility segment. We have planned our strategies in order to aggressively penetrate into the market and have our market share increased by additional 15-20% from SOHO, SMB and Corporate Edition including MailScan for all Operating System.
2. Cloud and virtualization is getting important today? How do you plan to utilise cloud for delivering security?
The benefits of cloud computing, its adoption among the Indian enterprises is driven at a very strategic level. Inclination towards private cloud model is observed amongst the Indian enterprises in order to understand the technology within their own premises in a better way before adopting public cloud model.
eScan products are already compatible to cloud technology. The revolutionary MWL (MicroWorld WinSock Layer) technology of eScan intimates about any malware outbreak irrespective from mail server, web server or file server. We get to know about such acts in no time. eScan rescue mode helps to boot into a secure environment during system start-up without using any optical media. It uses Windows based environment that not only helps to scan and clean the system but also allows to fix registry changes made by viruses and Rootkits.
3. What are some of the innovations that eScan is bringing to the market?
Currently eScan is chalking out the future plans with the following perspectives:
Fortifying Smart Cities: We are focusing on the concerns related to Privacy, Network/ Data Security and detection/ prevention of inconsistencies to ensure 24×7 availability of all kinds of digital services that make smart cities. Proper security to this digital world can ensure an ideal smart city for next generation.
ICT (Information and Computing Technologies) & IoT (Internet of Things): ICT (Information and Computing Technologies) and IoT (Internet of Things) are an integral part of Smart Cities and we have extended the security umbrella to IoT with Security Intelligence Analytics and ensure Network/ Data integrity round the clock.
4. Mobile and smartphones also need security these days? How are you looking at this segment?
As mentioned above, Anti-virus market in India is witnessing constant growth and this will continue in 2015 as well. According to a research done by e-Marketer, by 2016, India will have the second largest online user-base with 283.8 million users, after China. Factors such as data usage on mobile devices, broadband penetration and rise of smart devices will fuel this growth. As far as the emerging trends are concerned, mobile computing, big data, virtualization, cloud services and social networking continue to be the emerging IT trends of 2015. The biggest driver of growth will be mobility that includes Smartphones and Tablets. We already have our Mobile & Tablet Security software for Android and Mobile Security for iPhones & iPads too. Considering the features we have for these products, we are already experiencing a respectable feedback from the industry and end-users.
5. How strong is your channel network in India?
In the last couple of years, our sole focus was on creating awareness amongst channel partners across the country. Having reached to more than 5500 partners, we want to increase our bases further as well as engage with existing partners to achieve mutual growth.
Our focus this year is again on creating strong partner engagement with SP partners for our SME and Enterprise growth. Whereas we have now started reaching to both the mid and large SI/SP partners and increase awareness through co-marketing activities like road shows, POCs etc.
6. Please share your growth plans and how you want to achieve this growth?
The current scenario in Anti-Virus market in India among home users/ Retail is on growth path at a rate of 20-25% (approx.). The use of licensed and paid AV is increasing day by day. The distribution pattern or the reach to end customers is still largely through small resellers and IT dealers, even though the online stores are selling at reduced costs, still the consumer looks at service and buys from his trusted partner. Even though large number of people uses free AV, yet this is now coming down with increased threats.
With continuous advancements in the IT landscape, the need to protect networks and all related digital devices from evolving cyber security threats has led to an increase in the demand of IT security software. Hence, in the year 2015-2016, eScan expects an escalated growth curve in the IT security industry.