A question that often comes up is whether or not OPSWAT is a cloud-first company. The answer? While OPSWAT offers a comprehensive range of on-premises, cloud, and hybrid solutions, our focus is on being a customer-first company. We prioritize providing the best solutions to meet our customers’ unique needs, whether that means leveraging cloud capabilities or maintaining critical on-premises capabilities.
What Does Cloud-First Really Mean?
Why is whether we are cloud-first or not such a frequently asked question? And what does it actually entail? When thinking about a cloud-first approach, two key questions often emerge:
- Is cloud-first simply a marketing term for vendors that offer only cloud solutions?
- If a solution is cloud-first, does that mean that on-premises is automatically a secondary option—essentially a hybrid approach?
Looking at the first question, many vendors today adopt a cloud-only model, believing that’s where the market is heading. They often focus their resources on large enterprise customers who prioritize cloud solutions. But what about sectors like government, defense, or utilities, where on-premises or air-gapped solutions are essential? Have these cloud-focused vendors sidelined these industries in favor of quicker, easier enterprise opportunities?
The idea of a cloud-first solution can become more complex when an organization uses on-premises solutions for similar needs. Is it truly cloud-first, or is it really a hybrid approach? Managing two parallel systems—a cloud-based solution and an on-premises one—can increase complexity and potentially introduce additional risks.
Two examples illustrate this challenge:
- SASE and ZTNA: The SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) and ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) markets have gained significant attention recently. Yet, many large enterprises find themselves managing two separate solutions—one for user web traffic and another for application web traffic. While these solutions might not overlap directly, they both require separate policies, management, and updates, which can introduce added complexity and risk.
- WAF (Web Application Firewall): Cloud-based WAF solutions are now common, but most large organizations also use on-premises next-generation firewalls that include WAF capabilities. This results in a dual setup: cloud WAF alongside an on-premises WAF. This belt and braces approach—having a backup to ensure security posture if one fails—can create management challenges and increase the burden on IT teams, potentially leading to more complexity and vulnerability than anticipated.
How OPSWAT’s Solution Stands Out: More Than Just Cloud-First
OPSWAT’s MetaDefender platform offers a comprehensive, multi-layered approach to cybersecurity. With over twenty integrated anti-virus engines, OPSWAT’s Multiscanning technology scans files for known malware, delivering some of the highest detection rates in the industry. Additionally, its DeepCDR™ Deep Content Disarm and Reconstruction technology removes potential zero-day threats that traditional antivirus engines may miss. The platform's simple API integration makes deployment quick and easy, fitting seamlessly into diverse environments.
Moreover, OPSWAT’s MetaDefender ICAP Server has been enhanced to support both MetaDefender Core and MetaDefender Cloud as integration options. This means that OPSWAT customers now have greater flexibility when choosing their integration paths. They can opt for direct integration with MetaDefender Cloud for legacy applications that lack API support or integrate with MetaDefender Core on-premises, using MetaDefender Cloud as a backup or failover solution.
This flexibility is particularly beneficial for customers amid digital transformation, transitioning from on-premises to cloud environments while still needing to support legacy applications in the short or medium term.
With OPSWAT, customers get a single vendor solution that offers over twenty antivirus engines, protection against potential zero-day exploits, and the scalability to handle traffic spikes. Whether you need on-premises, cloud, or a hybrid approach, OPSWAT has you covered—even for those legacy applications. It's truly a belt, braces, and beyond approach to security, offering comprehensive coverage and adaptability.
A Customer-First Approach
OPSWAT is not a cloud-first company; it is a customer-first company. We meet customers wherever they are on their journey, offering tailored solutions that address their immediate needs and support their future growth.
Our mission at OPSWAT is to protect the world’s critical infrastructure, and that mission can't be fulfilled by focusing solely on cloud-first or cloud-only strategies. Critical infrastructure underpins everyday life and often exists in large, complex environments, some of which operate offline or in air-gapped systems. As threats become more sophisticated and risks continue to rise, providing flexible solutions is essential. By going beyond a cloud-only mindset, OPSWAT ensures that businesses receive the comprehensive support they need to stay secure, no matter the environment.
Discover how OPSWAT’s MetaDefender Platform can secure your organization—from the cloud to the plant floor—talk to one of our experts today.
