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There’s an old saying in warfare and schoolyard fights: “If you want to win, pick your enemies carefully.” GFI Software is doing just that with the release of its GFI Mail Essentials Complete, an email security suite available as both a cloud-based service and on-premise appliance. The target for disruption: Barracuda Networks and Google.

GFI Software launched its first appliance -- the GFI MailEssentials Complete -- aimed directly at disrupting Barracuda Networks.

GFI has long operated in the periphery of the security market as a low-level alternative. It had good tools for Web and network vulnerability scanning and log management. Over the years, it expanded into patch management, backup and managed services. And last year it acquired antivirus specialist Sunbelt Software, which produces the award-winning VIPRE antivirus suite. Today, it’s a robust security and network management company with a robust portfolio of formidable capabilities.

Growth, though, means more than just plowing through virgin fields. It requires taking on established companies, especially when it research finds that 40 percent of SMEs are neutral to dissatisfied with their current email security system. And GFI has made excellent choices for opponents in the launch of GFI Mail Essentials Complete.

GFI Mail Essentials Complete provides organizations with less than 1,000 seats with a full array of protection ranging from antivirus scanning, spam filtering, built-in disclaimer management, and inbound and outbound inspection. The system is built with VIPRE antivirus and licensed market-leading Cloudmark antispam technology.

According to GFI, the appliance is a solid alternative in performance to any device fielded by Cisco’s IronPort or Barracuda, at a substantially lower cost. The appliance starts at $2,495 and virtual machines start at $595.

The cloud-based service providers users with the same level of protection starting as low as $2 per seat per month. The cloud-based service is also includes a POP3 email application for sending messages directly through the management console. The feature is intended as a backup in case the email service is disabled or unreachable.

Managed service providers subscribe to and deliver GFI MailEssentials Complete Online as a service to their accounts, but GFI says MSPs are better off using tools and resources provided by GFI Max.

Why Barracuda and Google as target competitors? Availability and weakness.

Barracuda hasn’t had much success to date in its cloud services. Even the acquisition of PureWire hasn’t bolstered its position in the services market, leaving it overly reliant upon appliance. And GFI believes it has both a performance and price advantage with its GFI MailEssentials Complete Appliance to provide SMEs with an alternative or complementary solution.

In fact, GFI’s research suggests that it may not look to displace Barracuda or other competitors, but rather complement them in network deployments. A GFI survey of SMEs found as many as one-third say running redundant security solutions provided by different vendors is a good best practice in email security. If that’s the route GFI is looking to take, it may try to penetrate existing Barracuda accounts and demonstrate value to later justify a full displacement.

In cloud-based services, GFI’s targeting Google is a wise strategy, as Google hasn’t been able to fully leverage its brand power and capacity to capitalize on its Postini email security service. In the last year, Postini has suffered at least five major service disruptions, enabling rivals large and small to pick up dissatisfied customers. Poor performance and higher prices makes Google makes a wise target for disruption and displacement.

Alex Eckelberry, general manager of GFI’s Security Business Unit, makes it very clear what GFI’s goal is: the build out of SME market share through channel partners. If GFI is able to establish a greater foothold in email security, it will undoubtedly follow similar strategies in other security and services.

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Lawrence M. Walsh is CEO and president of The 2112 Group, a technology business advisory service that specializes in optimizing indirect channels and partner relationships. He’s also the executive director of the Channel Vanguard Council. He is the former publisher of Channel Insider and editor of VARBusiness Magazine. You can reach him at lmwalsh@the2112group.com.

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Larry Walsh: @lmwalsh2112 | Channelnomics: @channelnomics