ISS: IBM's Red-Headed Stepchild

Parents aren't supposed to play favorites, but IBM clearly adores the managed security services business it acquired from ISS to the detriment of ISS's IPS software and appliance business. During a conference call with reporters, Big Blue cooed over the security provider, which will be an independent unit of IBM Global Services.

ISS also happens to sell security products, but execs from both companies barely mentioned it outside of vague integration plans. So IBM won't kill the IPS biz, but it probably also won't pay it much attention. That's good news for Cisco, McAfee, Tipping Point, Sourcefire and other competitors. Meanwhile, ISS's IPS customers should expect Global Services to come calling. --Andrew Conry-Murray, [email protected]