As digitalisation continues to dominate the world, there has been a notable surge in the number of digital users and application users. These applications are deployed in public clouds, private clouds, and edges of the network to be closer to the end users. This has led to a significant expansion of the attack surface on applications which includes the cloud environment and APIs (application programming interface) between the applications.
Last month, F5, a Seattle, Washington-based multi-cloud application services and security company, opened its new engineering centre in Bengaluru, spread across 50,000 square feet with seating capacity for 250 employees. The new facility is an expansion of the current engineering centre in Hyderabad which focuses on global product development and innovation for F5. The centre will play a key role in driving research, development and product innovation for F5 as it expands its portfolio of multi-cloud application security and delivery solutions.
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“The rise of multi-cloud environment and automation has changed the application security landscape. It has opened an avenue for sophisticated cyberattacks such as using bots for account takeovers, stealing passwords and driving ransomware attacks,” said François Locoh-Donou, CEO, president, and director, F5.
F5, earlier known as F5 Networks, protects over two billion logins into applications and stops four billion fraudulent transactions every day.
In India, F5’s progress is not limited to expanding its core competencies. With the launch of the second engineering centre in Bengaluru, F5 has also geographically expanded in the market. “India is a high-growth market for the company due to substantial investments in digitalisation by the government and private sector. Industries such as banking, telecommunications, and manufacturing are actively embracing digital transformation, creating abundant opportunities for F5’s application-focused solutions,” said François.
Why India matters
“India serves as a key hub for innovation within F5. The company has expanded its team in India and established engineering centres in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, which are responsible for pioneering advancements in application security, AI/ML-based capabilities, and cloud-based application security,” he said. “The exceptional talent pool in India is driving product development and innovation that benefits customers worldwide.”
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The engineering centres in Hyderabad and Bengaluru work in synergy, ensuring cross-pollination of ideas and expertise. The Hyderabad centre initially supported the US team but has gradually assumed greater responsibilities, augmenting F5’s capabilities in current technologies. On the other hand, F5’s acquisition of Lilac Computing, whose team is based in Bengaluru, focuses on advanced technologies such as edge computing, AI-based security, multi-cloud networking, and API security. “The team we have in Bengaluru is one of the world’s most advanced teams, driving innovation and product development,” François added.
François highlighted that F5’s business strategy centres around simplifying the process of securing and delivering applications for its customers. “The company has embraced a shift towards software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, expanding beyond its hardware and software offerings. We aim to address the complexities of securing modern applications, particularly in multi-cloud environments,” he said.