Ambitious integrator Nebulas has split into three divisions to shake off its specialist security image and
has renamed itself the Nebulas Solutions Group.

Although its core offering is security, the firm also covers other areas such as application acceleration and WAN optimisation, but these were being overlooked by customers, said managing director Nick Garlick.

“We finished the year at the end of March with 50 per cent growth. One of the challenges we have had as a business is the perception that we were focused solely on security ­ but 25 per cent of our business is application acceleration. We are also very strong in WAN optimisation and virtualisation.”

The new group will comprise Nebulas Security (data security, privacy and compliance), Nebulas Xcelerate (application acceleration) and Nebulas Virtualise (virtualisation).

Garlick stressed the different divisions were not about propelling the company into new product areas, but reinforced the company’s existing work in those areas.

“We have been covering virtualisation for years and are a VMware partner,” he said. “With vendors such as F5 we have been offering application firewalls and SSL VPNs. With these new divisions we address all the challenges raised by customers.

“The new markets are complementary and we can offer customers additional savings and efficiencies through the use of virtualisation.”

Each division will be overseen by a specialist in that particular area, Garlick explained, but added that account managers will handle the same customers across all three divisions to ensure consistency.
This means that support can be accessed through the same phone number and customers will have continuity of account management.

Garlick said the firm had high expectations. “Our ultimate aim is to triple the business,” he said. “We have already recruited four people and are looking for another five. This is significant growth for us,” he said.

The firm also recently expanded its London headquarters by 2,000 sq metres with the addition of a demonstration area, sales and customer training suite, extended technical labs, stores and office space.

Paul Coates, regional director for the UK and Ireland at F5 Networks, welcomed the move.

“From an F5 perspective, what Nebulas has done in terms of establishing key focus areas closely matches how we approach the market, and I see this as a positive move.

“It more accurately reflects the business issues and demands that drive the purchase decision at end-user level, so we see this as strengthening the platform for growth for F5 and Nebulas,” said Coates.