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VMware is bolstering its distributed application security capabilities thanks to a deal to acquire Mesh7, a move VMware claims will enable it to “bring visibility, discovery, and better security to application programming interfaces”.
Based in California, Mesh7 provides an enterprise-class cloud native distributed application programming interface (API) firewall and gateway solution.
The company’s API Security Mesh offering provides, in its own words, deep and contextual application and API layer visibility to remove any blind spots within distributed and cloud-native application environments.
For VMware senior vice president and networking and security business unit general manager Tom Gillis, the deal means VMware will be able to provide better security capabilities when it comes to APIs and applications.
“With the VMware Virtual Cloud Network, we are delivering a modern network that understands the needs of applications and programmatically delivers connectivity and security services to meet those requirements,” Gillis said. “The ultimate result is a better experience for both users and applications.
“Today, we are furthering our efforts make modern applications more secure with our intent to acquire Mesh7. Once the deal closes, the Mesh7 technology will enable VMware to bring visibility, discovery, and better security to APIs,” he added.
From Gillis’ perspective, this is important because modern applications require reliable connectivity, dynamic service discovery and the ability to automate changes quickly without disruption as they extend across multi-cloud environments.
“Security teams and operators need better visibility into application behavior and overall security posture, and the developer experience needs to lead to more secure operations,” he said in a blog post.
Gillis said that application connectivity models are moving towards APIs and Layer 7 constructs, and the API gateway is being integrated into developer workflows.
It is hoped that the combination of VMware’s own technology with that of Mesh7 will see the company able to deliver modern application connectivity services that enable a developer experience that leads to more secure operations.
Once the deal closes, the integration of Mesh7’s contextual API behaviour security solution with VMware’s existing Tanzu Service Mesh solution will help VMware to deliver high fidelity understanding of which applications components are talking to which using APIs.
It is anticipated that, using the solution, developers and security teams will each gain a better understanding of when, where and how applications and microservices are communicating via APIs, even across multi-cloud environments, enabling better DevSecOps.
According to Mesh7 founders Amit Jain and Pratik Roychowdhury, VMware’s existing Tanzu Service Mesh, along with Mesh7’s API Security Mesh, will enable customers to more effectively deploy distributed services and application layer security for modern cloud applications.
“By joining forces with VMware, we expect to be able to accelerate the adoption of Mesh7 by enabling DevSecOps as an inherent part of VMware’s modern application platforms and solutions,” the founders said in a blog post.
“Developers, security and operation teams will each gain a better understanding of when, where and how APIs are communicating, even across multi-cloud environments, leading to better DevSecOps,” they added.
Once the deal closes, the Mesh7 team will join VMware, helping the vendor to deliver an overall API solution that makes the developer experience for APIs more secure by default.
