Serving Up Those Domains: How This Company Got So Big It Caught Cisco’s Attention
The Internet is an ever-changing environment with a lot of features and threats. Since the internet age started, more services have been shifting to digital platforms to grow and expand. Therefore, companies that provide services related to the internet have grown substantially in the last two decades. Today, we will be looking at one such company. Here’s how OpenDNS grew to become a multi-million-dollar business in the field of domain services.
What the Company Does
OpenDNS stands for Open Domain Name System. The company provides features such as protection against phishing content filtering. OpenDNS also has a product named Umbrella, which has tools providing cloud computing security. This product suite protects enterprise companies from all kinds of digital attacks including phishing, malware, and botnets. OpenDNS handles over 100 billion DNS queries daily and boasts of more than 85 million users around the world.
About the Founder
David Ulevitch grew up in Del Mar, California and showed an early interest in computers. He worked for a regional ISP, named ElectriCiti before starting high school. It was from here that he picked up his interest in network administration. While Ulevitch was at Washington University, he created EveryDNS to manage his DNS needs. The company grew from being a project to a company with over 100,000 users. In 2010, Dyn, Inc acquired EveryDNS.
Launching OpenDNS
Launched in 2006, OpenDNS came to life due to the efforts of computer scientist David Ulevitch. The initial funding for the company came via venture capitalists like CNET founder, Halsey Minor. Later that year, they launched PhishTank. The service allows users to submit suspected phishing sites. The other members could then review these sites and decide whether it was a scam.
In 2007, OpenDNS started a domain-blocking service to help users block and allow access to various sites. The categories of sites blocked worked on individually managed blacklists and whitelists that the company controlled. A year later, OpenDNS made the list community-driven allowing subscribers to suggest websites. If the site suggested got enough votes, then the site became a part of the blacklist, and subsequently blocked. By 2014, the list had grown and included over 60 categories. The former head of VMware, Nand Mulchandan joined OpenDNS as CEO in 2008, replacing David Ulevitch, who became the CTO. He resumed as CEO again in late 2009.
Continued Success
Two years after launching the free DNS-O-Matic, they launched a premium service called Home VIP. The same year, in 2009, DNS started its foray into the world of enterprise network security through OpenDNS Enterprise. The suite included access managers, audit logs, statistic reports, and customized block page URLs. This product expanded in 2012 through the launch of OpenDNS Insights.
The new service integrated with Microsoft Active Directory, allowing admins granular control. The World Economic Forum named them a Technology Pioneer in 2011. Former CTO of Websense joined OpenDNS as CTO in 2012. Later that year, the company launched the Security Labs for research. They raised over $35 million via a Series C funding led by Glynn Capita, Northgate Capital and Cisco.
Forming Umbrella
Their biggest launch came in 2012, in the form of Umbrella. The software helped enforce security guidelines for roaming devices like laptops, iPhones, iPads, and tablets. A year later, they came out with the OpenDNS Security Graph to further extend Umbrella. The same year, they introduced the Investigate feature which allowed teams to compare traffic data. Another feature came in 2014 via Intelligent Proxy, which provides proxies for suspicious domains.
Merger with Cisco
Owing to their massive success, industry giant Cisco acquired them in 2015, for US$635 million. The entire deal occurred via an all-cash transaction, and also included incentives for OpenDNS. After the acquisition, the company’s services became Cisco Umbrella, whereas home products remained under the OpenDNS name. Cisco clarified that they would continue developing cloud-based OpenDNS products. The company also mentioned that all existing services would be continued. After the acquisition, Ulevitch became the Senior VP and GM of Cisco’s Security Business in 2016. Two years later, he joined Andreessen Horowitz as a Partner. The company also mentioned that all existing services would be continued. After the acquisition, Ulevitch became the Senior VP and GM of Cisco’s Security Business in 2016. Two years later, he joined Andreessen Horowitz as a Partner.
Ulevitch grew OpenDNS to become the world’s largest DNS service provider. The acquisition by Cisco is a testament to their growth and success in the field of security architecture.
Being a cinephile with a love for all things outdoorsy, Athulya never misses a chance to chase inspiring stories or poke fun at things, even when the subject is herself. Currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, she is someone innately interested in technical and scientific research. Music reviews and op-eds define her as they allow her to explore different perspectives. Though sometimes she thinks she makes more sense playing the guitar than she does while writing.
