Who are they?
For a start-up which has a potentially groundbreaking product, Zscaler's headquarters in Sunnyvale certainly don't do it justice.
Over the four years since its inception, Zscaler evidently hasn't developed a taste for presentation.
The drab surroundings belie the passion and exciting ideas powering the firm forward too.
Despite his humility, Jay Chaudry, a seasoned start-up leader and CEO of Zscaler, was particularly proud of the company's compelling cloud-based security proposition.
He was also boisterous about his baby's lack of venture capital input. It's his money that provided the basis for this innovative company, meaning it isn't at the beck and call of investors.
The drab surroundings belie the passion and exciting ideas powering the firm forward.
"You can build things with conviction rather than having others tell you what to do," Chaudry said, his Indian accent not entirely eroded away by his long sojourn in California.
Gartner likes what Zscaler is doing too. In one of its ubiquitous magic quadrants, the company was named the most visionary vendor in the web gateway space.
Why should you care?
With so many threats making their way around the web today, businesses need a multi-layered approach.
Zscaler provides this multi-layered security, but all on its own. Companies can rent its services on a pay-as-you-go basis and enjoy all the benefits of various forms of protection.
The real deal breaker is how much extra weight Zscaler services place on IT practically nothing, nada, zip. That's right, you can have effective security without a single piece of hardware, software or even an agent sitting on your infrastructure. It's all through the pipes.
Like the Star Trek Enterprise, you get an invisible forcefield around your organisation. As long as there's an internet connection, your network will be kept clean.
The vendor was pretty pleased with its coverage of mobile security - you know, that part of the industry which hasn't seen a single threat with any significant outcome yet?
