Company Profiles - Senetas

Senetas


Some of the world’s most secure organisations trust Victorian company Senetas to keep their data safe.

The story so far


Over the last 20 years, Melbourne-based company Senates has established itself as a leading innovator and world-wide specialist in network security. It is best known for its CypherNet™ encryption range, which provides standards-based and purpose-built data security without compromising network efficiency.

Senetas security products have the highest levels of international accreditation (including FIPS 140-2 Level 3 and Common Criteria EAL-4). Major government and commercial organisations around the world trust them to keep critical data secure during transmission.
The company’s skills in cryptography are also in demand as large organisations secure data transferred across their extended business locations. Senetas is a technology partner with id Quantique, a world leader in quantum key distribution which further enables Senetas to offer the best-available security over optical fibre networks.

A major turning point for Senetas came in 2003, when it struck a world-wide OEM & Distribution Agreement with SafeNet, a leading global company that now sells the CypherNet range around the world.
"This was a validation of the quality of our products and it also recognised that we have success with and a strong focus on developing new network security products," said Senetas General Manager Horst Marcinsky.

"It contributed greatly to building our international profile, which has helped us increase direct sales. Senetas customers now include defence, law enforcement and social security agencies as well as major finance, banking IT and infrastructure companies around the world."

Reaching new markets


Senetas has developed well established sales channels in all major world markets, including the United States, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

It continues to consolidate these while expanding into new regions and launching international partnerships that allow Senetas to demonstrate its capabilities and the quality of its products. "Our major focus remains on developing new products that respond to market demands," said Marcinsky.

Senetas has built upon its traditional strength in Layer 2 encryption security hardware to add Layer 3 IPSEC network security capabilities. Its new CypherStream range provides lower cost devices with small footprints for smaller organisations with high data security requirements. A crypto-agile version of CypherStream can accept customised algorithms as well as the US Government-approved AES algorithms.

"We see great potential for CypherSteam to introduce us to new market segments and there is already significant interest, particularly in Asia," said Marcinsky.

Other recent Senetas products that promise strong future demand include the ultra high-speed CypherNet 10 Gbps Ethernet and CypherNet Fibre Channel encryptors which are used to secure information flowing between storage area networks.

While the company's international reputation is built on its security products, Senetas also has a strong consulting business that provides specialist IT services, Tivoli expertise and business intelligence across the Australasian region. It has delivered significant business improvement projects with major energy, network, retail and government organisations.

Why Melbourne, Australia?


Victoria is an ideal base for Senetas to grow its international markets.
"The business culture in Victoria demands a very high standard and data security is very sophisticated and well regulated here," explained Marcinsky. "Our local success means that when we move into new markets we have confidence that we are providing a high quality product and service."

Many clients value that Senetas designs and manufactures its products in Melbourne. "Victoria has a very a highly skilled workforce with a strong ICT sector as well as manufacturers with specialist capabilities," said Marcinsky. "This is a real advantage for us because it allows us to continue growing without the need to find alternative locations."

The high quality of Victoria's workforce and its university graduates is also important. "We have close links with Victorian universities and they produce the lion's share of Australia’s mathematics, ICT and engineering graduates," explained Marcinsky. "It means we have a local supply of people with globally-competitive knowledge and skills. Many Senetas employees could work anywhere in the world but they choose to stay in Melbourne and with Senetas where the challenging and high-calibre work is."

The future


Senetas is preparing for more growth as global demand for network security and business efficiency soars.
"Securing data is now a tremendous challenge for governments and organisations everywhere so there is no shortage of opportunities for us," said Marcinsky. "We are well established in global markets and we have a reputation for quality and for continually improving on what we do."

"We plan to consolidate our markets and sales and there are significant emerging opportunities for us across Asia and Europe and in countries like South Africa. For example, we have appointed a re-seller agent in India, Korea and Thailand, countries which have the fastest uptake of broadband technologies in the Asia Pacific region and offer enormous potential for us."