Incapsula, the spinoff from Imperva, is a new breed of CDN. For starters, their security suite is more extensive, robust, and feature rich than all CDNs, maybe even Akamai. They go above and beyond, the typical CDN WAF offering, providing BOT protection, Network DDoS Protection, Application DDoS Protection, Backdoor Detection, all running over a global CDN, that is Level 1 PCI compliant.
Throw in “killer” analytics, and real time reporting of attacks as they occur, and you have a company with the potential to surpass the valuation of its former parent Imperva. Incapsula is one of my favorite CDNs. They bring a fresh perspective to the CDN ecosystem. CDNs be warned, whether you admit or not, you are now playing catch up to Incapsula, when it comes to the next generation of CDN security. They are the benchmark to which CDNs can compare themselves to.
Collapse of the CDN and Cloud Security Market
Two different cloud industries are collapsing right before our eyes. Pure-play security companies like Imperva, are expanding horizontally into the CDN industry. Akamai, with its acquisition of Prolexic, is expanding horizontally into the security industry. What happens when other pure play security companies start to follow?
Radware, by purchasing Strangeloop Networks, has dipped its toes in the CDN ecosystem. However, most CDNs are dragging their feet, and playing it safe. I don’t count Network DDoS protection, WAF, & SSL as an innovative security offering anymore. That’s a basic feature that all CDNs must have in their arsenal, just to play the CDN game. CDNs need to hire the engineering skill set, to architect, build, implement, & deliver security features that protect against BOTs, and repel attacks at Layer 7; and include real time analytics of the attacks as they occur, so customers see what they are buying.
Conclusion
For now, Incapsula is new to CDN game and still learning its way. They have some work to do on their CDN value proposition, story, and target market. As of now, CDNs are safe. However, in the next 6-18 months when they figure out CDN, they are going to be a dangerous. Never a dull moment in the CDN business.