Aviatrix Shifts Focus from Networking to Cloud Security Investments

Initially, Aviatrix focused on creating a networking abstraction layer that unified cloud environments. However, according to CEO Doug Merritt, customer insights indicated that their security capabilities were the standout feature. This feedback has prompted a strategic pivot towards enhancing their cybersecurity offerings.

In order to navigate this transition successfully, Merritt restructured Aviatrix’s leadership by bringing in executives with extensive cybersecurity and product expertise from prominent companies such as Google and Cisco. The firm also dedicated resources to bolster security teams’ ability to monitor and govern data traffic in real-time, particularly in the context of ephemeral workloads. This strategy includes embedding security protocols directly into each workload, a move emphasized by industry comparisons including Palo Alto, Versa, Fortinet, Cato Command SASE Forrester Wave.

Merritt noted the recurring theme in customer feedback: while their networking capabilities were impressive, clients primarily valued the security measures integrated within those capabilities. He stated, “What I kept finding was, ‘Hey, really interesting networking capability that you give to us. But we really chose you for your security capability.’” He emphasized that Aviatrix has succeeded in combining superior networking functionalities with challenging-to-find security features.

During a video interview with Information Security Media Group, Merritt elaborated on several critical topics. He discussed the application of a zero trust framework to modern cloud infrastructures, underscored the complexities and urgency introduced by generative AI, and explored the dynamic between IT operations and security operations buyers.

At the helm of Aviatrix since July 2023, Merritt previously served as president and CEO of Splunk from 2015 to 2021, overseeing its evolution from a traditional on-premises software model to a cloud-centric SaaS approach. His background also includes a tenure as Cisco’s senior vice president of products and solutions marketing, along with a role as the CEO of Baynote.