Websites using Akamai Web Application Protector

Okay, let s break down Akamai Web Application Protector (WAP), covering its overview, revenue context, alternatives, pricing structure, and customer care.

Akamai Web Application Protector (WAP) Overview

Akamai Web Application Protector is a cloud-based security solution designed to protect web applications and APIs from a wide range of threats. It s a core component of Akamai s broader security portfolio. Here s a breakdown of its key features and capabilities:

• Web Application Firewall (WAF): At its heart, WAP provides a robust WAF that inspects HTTP/HTTPS traffic for malicious patterns and blocks attacks like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and other OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities.
• Bot Management: WAP identifies and blocks malicious bots while allowing legitimate traffic from search engines and other beneficial bots. This helps prevent scraping, credential stuffing, and other bot-related attacks.
• DDoS Protection: It mitigates distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks by absorbing and filtering out malicious traffic floods, ensuring application availability.
• API Security: WAP extends its security capabilities to APIs, protecting them from similar vulnerabilities and misuse.
• Rule Customization: You can customize security rules based on specific application requirements and threat profiles.
• Managed Security: Akamai offers a managed service option where their security experts monitor and tune the WAP configuration for optimal protection.
• Integration: WAP integrates with other Akamai services and security information and event management (SIEM) systems.
• Global Infrastructure: Leveraging Akamai s extensive global network, WAP provides security closer to users, reducing latency and improving performance.
• Machine Learning: Akamai uses machine learning to continuously adapt its defenses to new threats and automatically tune performance.

Key Benefits of Akamai WAP:

• Strong Security Posture: Protects against a wide array of web application threats.
• Improved Application Performance: Reduces latency through its global CDN infrastructure.
• Reduced Security Complexity: Offers a managed option to offload day-to-day security management.
• Scalability: Handles large traffic volumes and ensures consistent availability.

Revenue Context

While Akamai doesn t break out revenue specifically for Web Application Protector, it falls under their Security Technology Group. This segment is a significant contributor to Akamai s overall revenue. Akamai s revenue is generally discussed in their quarterly earnings reports. To understand their revenue context related to WAP, you have to look at the revenue of their security business segment.

Key Points about Akamai s Revenue:

• Significant Security Business: Security is a major growth area for Akamai, and WAP is a crucial product in this segment.
• Recurring Revenue Model: Akamai mostly operates on a subscription basis, making revenue predictable.
• Global Market Leader: Akamai is a recognized leader in web performance and security, impacting their revenue and market share.

Alternatives to Akamai WAP

The market for web application security is competitive, with several strong alternatives to Akamai WAP. Here are some notable ones:

• Cloudflare WAF: Known for its ease of use and robust security features, often a popular choice for smaller to medium-sized businesses.
• Imperva Cloud WAF: A leading player in web application security, often preferred by larger enterprises for its comprehensive security stack.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS) WAF: Integrated with AWS services and ideal for organizations heavily invested in the AWS ecosystem.
• Microsoft Azure Web Application Firewall: Integrated with Azure services and suits companies using Microsoft s cloud platform.
• Fastly WAF: A performance-focused CDN with integrated security features.
• F5 Advanced WAF: A traditional hardware-based WAF that has expanded into cloud-based offerings, often suitable for complex enterprise environments.
• Fortinet FortiWeb: A network security vendor with a strong WAF presence.

Choosing an Alternative: When selecting an alternative, consider factors like: * Scale and Complexity: The size of your applications and the sophistication of your security needs. * Cloud Provider: Your existing cloud infrastructure and integration preferences. * Budget: Cost is a significant factor. * Ease of Use: How easy the product is to deploy and manage. * Support: Availability and quality of customer support.

Pricing Structure

Akamai s pricing for WAP is generally customized and enterprise-focused. This means it s not a simple price-per-feature model. Instead, they often use a consumption-based or tiered pricing structure, which takes into account the following factors:

• Traffic Volume: The amount of data processed and the volume of requests.
• Features: Specific functionalities that are required, such as managed rules, bot management, and API security.
• Scale and Complexity: How large and complex your application is.
• Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Response time, uptime, and other performance guarantees.
• Contract Length: Longer contracts may result in lower per-unit costs.
• Managed Services: If you opt for Akamai s managed security services, that will add a cost component.

Generally, expect the following in Akamai s pricing:

• Commitment: Akamai typically requires a contract, often for a year or more.
• Volume Discounting: Larger customers often get volume discounts.
• Upfront Costs: There may be initial setup or implementation costs.
• Negotiation: Pricing can often be negotiated, particularly for large deals.

Important: Due to the customized nature of Akamai s pricing, contacting their sales team directly to get a quote is recommended.

Customer Care Details

Akamai is known for providing a strong level of enterprise-grade customer care. Here s what to expect:

• 24/7 Support: Round-the-clock support for critical issues.
• Multiple Channels: Support is usually available via phone, email, and online portal.
• Technical Experts: They employ experienced engineers who understand their products well.
• Account Management: Dedicated account managers for larger customers.
• Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Guaranteed response times and uptime.
• Knowledge Base and Documentation: Comprehensive self-help resources available.
• Training: Akamai offers training to help users understand and use its products.
• Professional Services: Consulting services for complex deployments or specific security requirements.
• Community Forum: Active user community to interact with peers and experts.

In Summary

Akamai Web Application Protector is a robust, enterprise-grade security solution. It s designed for businesses that need reliable protection for their web applications and APIs, backed by a strong global network. While pricing is customized and complex, their customer care is a known strength. Evaluating its fit for your specific needs against alternatives is crucial.

Let me know if you have any other questions!