Deal Radar 2009: LogLogic

LogLogic provides a Linux-based, widely deployed log and security event management appliance. The company creates a central enterprise activity warehouse of IT tracking data that can help IT systems administrators to diagnose systems problems, identify security threats or inappropriate access to sensitive information, and comply with regulatory mandates such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX). The LogLogic solution suite is built around an open log management platform and a number of log-powered applications including LogLogic Compliance Manager, LogLogic Security Event Manager, and LogLogic Database Security Manager. 

Focused solely on log management since its founding, LogLogic’s vision of establishing an open log management platform, or enterprise activity warehouse, is unique in the marketplace. Once log data is collected, it can be re-used many times for various use cases in the enterprise, including security monitoring, compliance validation, and performance management. One of LogLogic’s benefits are that its systems are scalable, easy to deploy, and easy to use with a rapid time to value. The typical LogLogic customer achieves ROI in less than six months.

Established in 2002, LogLogic is based in San Jose, California. The company was founded by Peter Jordan, Jason DeStefano, and Thomas Grabowski. Jordan and Grabowski worked together in sales at Netscout, a network management company and netForensics, a security management company. They realized that both network and security management functions could benefit from a better log management foundation. They approached DeStefano, a young engineer at Cargill at the time, to build the first prototype of an automated log management system. The early company was entirely funded by sales to early customers, including Transunion and Harley Davidson Motorcycles.

Guy Churchward joined LogLogic as CEO in 2009. Prior to this, Churchward was vice president and general manager at NetApp, overseeing the data protection group. He has over 20 years’ experience in the IT industry as a business executive, including more than three years as VP and GM of the WebLogic Products group at BEA.

LogLogic’s equity financing includes a $5.5 million Series A led by Sequoia Capital and Telesoft Partners March 2004 and an $11 million Series B led by Sequoia Capital, Telesoft Partners, and Worldview Technology Partners in September 2004. The company’s latest round of $8.8 million, an extended Series D, closed in May 2009, while a Series D of $13.5 million was raised in February 2008. Investors include Focus Ventures, Sequoia Capital, and SAP Ventures. Series C information was not available.

When the company was formed, log management did not really exist as a recognized market. Vendors had overlooked a huge customer problem, and there was enormous pent-up demand for an automated solution. Customer requests for automated log management systems to replace their inadequate and inefficient log management solutions led to the creation of LogLogic. Competitors include ArcSight, Netforensics, and Q1 Labs.

Later, regulators realized the importance of log data and started to require that enterprises collect and analyze this information. Log data was deemed the only reliable source of forensic information during an internal or external (e.g. by the FBI) investigation, and demand for LogLogic’s products soared.

Today, LogLogic has over 1,000 customers including the largest telecoms, government, and enterprise customers such as The Body Shop, Lockheed Hartin, Plantronics, Manulife Financial, and Amere. Now log management is considered a vital investment for enterprises and a foundational component of any enterprise security program. The company sells its applications exclusively through distribution partners worldwide.

According to Gartner, the log management market for security is estimated to be over $1.3 billion a year. This TAM does not include the use of log data for forensic analysis, troubleshooting, or business intelligence, among others. LogLogic targets large and medium enterprises, as well as government and telecommunications customers. Some important market segments include healthcare, telecommunications, energy, the U.S. federal government, and financial services.

A late-stage growth company, LogLogic has experienced accelerated growth in Q3 2009, when it added 52 new customers and increased bookings by 57%. According to company statistics, 1 in 5 Fortune 100 and 1 in 7 Fortune 500 companies use LogLogic. Twenty-two percent of companies on the Forbes Global 100 list are LogLogic customers.

Log management used to be a housekeeping exercise for network administrators, who, along with other customers, have been the source of inspiration for many product innovations. With the introduction of LogLogic’s security applications in 2009, customers are now choosing to add these applications on top of their LogLogic log platform. A few months ago, the company acquired Exaprotect, a security management company. With this acquisition, LogLogic has strengthened its position in the log management and security industry.

Going forward, LogLogic is focused on continued growth and expansion of its market share in its current space. The company plans to continue to add new customers both domestically and abroad.

Recommended Readings:
Deal Radar 2009: Greenplum
Why BI Appliances

This segment is a part in the series : Deal Radar 2009