Comments on: Archer and EMC: More To The Story http://brightfly.com/archer-and-emc-more-to-the-story/ Enlighten Your Enterprise Thu, 01 Jul 2010 02:31:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Chris Caldwell and Chris Goodwin http://brightfly.com/archer-and-emc-more-to-the-story/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Chris Caldwell and Chris Goodwin Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:17:10 +0000 http://brightfly.com/?p=1009#comment-15 This is a very interesting analysis of the acquisition. You bring up a few points that we had not contemplated, but as former Archer guys, there are a few comments we would like to add. Archer is a very unique company for a number of reasons. Based in Kansas City, it is very much a Midwestern company, with Midwestern ideals and values. Prior to working at Archer, neither of us had ever seen a company that was more obsessed with customer satisfaction, delivery, and participation. Archer customers are highly involved with product development and are given several avenues to interact and contribute to the company. The customers are almost as much a part of the Archer family as the employees. So how is that going to continue under the EMC umbrella? It will be very interesting to see if the culture of Archer is carried forward or if EMC/RSA will destroy the thing that makes Archer different. Adding resources and infrastructure means nothing to the customer, if the connection to people who truly care about their success is diluted. Also, thanks for mentioning our company in the same article with some of the current leaders in the GRC space. While we agree there is likely to be continued consolidation in the market, we believe there is going to be some un-anticipated disruption by some highly innovative companies over the next 12 to 18 months. Chris Caldwell and Chris Goodwin LockPath, Inc. This is a very interesting analysis of the acquisition. You bring up a few points that we had not contemplated, but as former Archer guys, there are a few comments we would like to add.

Archer is a very unique company for a number of reasons. Based in Kansas City, it is very much a Midwestern company, with Midwestern ideals and values. Prior to working at Archer, neither of us had ever seen a company that was more obsessed with customer satisfaction, delivery, and participation. Archer customers are highly involved with product development and are given several avenues to interact and contribute to the company. The customers are almost as much a part of the Archer family as the employees.

So how is that going to continue under the EMC umbrella? It will be very interesting to see if the culture of Archer is carried forward or if EMC/RSA will destroy the thing that makes Archer different. Adding resources and infrastructure means nothing to the customer, if the connection to people who truly care about their success is diluted.

Also, thanks for mentioning our company in the same article with some of the current leaders in the GRC space. While we agree there is likely to be continued consolidation in the market, we believe there is going to be some un-anticipated disruption by some highly innovative companies over the next 12 to 18 months.

Chris Caldwell and Chris Goodwin
LockPath, Inc.

]]> By: Ed King http://brightfly.com/archer-and-emc-more-to-the-story/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Ed King Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:06:29 +0000 http://brightfly.com/?p=1009#comment-14 Brandon, Very nicely written analysis. Most interesting analysis I have seen so far on this acquisition from anybody, and trust me, I read all of them :) We at Agiliance see this as a great event. It validates the IT GRC industry. When you take a look at this investment from EMC and the great year Agiliance had in 2009 and the strength of our pipeline into 2010, we think maybe 2010 is the year when IT GRC market really turns the corner and takes off. We also expect to see more consolidations this year. In addition to just more IT GRC companies being picked up by the larger software houses, you may see also eGRC and IT GRC pureplay vendors getting together to offer true enterprise wide GRC solution portfolios. Thanks again for the great analysis. Happy New Year! Ed King and the Agiliance team Brandon,

Very nicely written analysis. Most interesting analysis I have seen so far on this acquisition from anybody, and trust me, I read all of them :) We at Agiliance see this as a great event. It validates the IT GRC industry. When you take a look at this investment from EMC and the great year Agiliance had in 2009 and the strength of our pipeline into 2010, we think maybe 2010 is the year when IT GRC market really turns the corner and takes off. We also expect to see more consolidations this year. In addition to just more IT GRC companies being picked up by the larger software houses, you may see also eGRC and IT GRC pureplay vendors getting together to offer true enterprise wide GRC solution portfolios. Thanks again for the great analysis. Happy New Year!

Ed King and the Agiliance team

]]> By: J.Thompson http://brightfly.com/archer-and-emc-more-to-the-story/comment-page-1/#comment-12 J.Thompson Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:11:57 +0000 http://brightfly.com/?p=1009#comment-12 Brandon, just saw the pingback. What I hope happens is that this deal does go through as anticipated and that more attention is paid to the next players who should be picked up. In particular, I see Agiliance as the best positioned as they have the most metric oriented platform. I believe that as CFOs begin to further scrutinize the "get us compliant at all costs" mantra that was prevalent after SOX (and again right after PCI v1) they will begin to REQUIRE that compliance and security be held to the same requirements as other business units. The CXO with the best platform for mapping to business & financial metrics will be the most successful in that effort. Brandon, just saw the pingback. What I hope happens is that this deal does go through as anticipated and that more attention is paid to the next players who should be picked up.

In particular, I see Agiliance as the best positioned as they have the most metric oriented platform. I believe that as CFOs begin to further scrutinize the “get us compliant at all costs” mantra that was prevalent after SOX (and again right after PCI v1) they will begin to REQUIRE that compliance and security be held to the same requirements as other business units.

The CXO with the best platform for mapping to business & financial metrics will be the most successful in that effort.

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