Palo Alto Networks and IBM have announced a broad-reaching partnership to deliver AI-powered security outcomes for customers. The announcement is a testament to Palo Alto Networks’ and IBM’s commitment to each other’s platforms and innovative capabilities. As part of this expanded partnership, Palo Alto Networks has agreed to acquire IBM’s QRadar SaaS assets, including QRadar intellectual property rights, subject to customary closing conditions.
“IBM will train more than 1,000 of its security consultants on migration, adoption and deployment of Palo Alto Networks products.”
Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO, IBM
To address increasingly sophisticated threats and evolving attack surfaces, organizations are prioritizing comprehensive security platforms that are underpinned by AI. Palo Alto Networks and IBM aim to help streamline and transform security operations, stop threats at scale, and accelerate incident remediation for their customers with the complete AI-powered approach that is required. These industry dynamics, paired with today’s partnership announcement, present significant opportunities for both companies.
Nikesh Arora, Chairman and CEO, Palo Alto Networks, “The security industry is at an inflection point where AI will transform businesses and deliver outcomes not seen before. It’s a moment to accelerate growth and innovation. Together with IBM, we will capitalize on this trend, combining our leading security solutions with IBM’s pioneering watsonx AI platform and premier services to drive the future of security platformization with complete, AI-powered, secure-by-design offerings.”
“We at Palo have agreed to acquire IBM’s QRadar Software as a Service (SaaS) assets, and together will offer seamless migration for QRadar customers to Cortex XSIAM.”
Nikesh Arora, Chairman and CEO, Palo Alto Networks
Upon closing, Palo Alto Networks and IBM will facilitate the migration of QRadar SaaS clients to Cortex XSIAM, the leading next-generation security operations (SOC) platform, with advanced AI-powered threat protection supported by 3,000 out-of-the-box detectors. For both QRadar SaaS and on-prem clients who chose to migrate to Cortex XSIAM, the companies, along with their ecosystem of business partners, will closely collaborate to enable a smooth transfer, with IBM and Palo Alto Networks offering no-cost migration services to qualified customers. As part of this agreement, IBM will receive incremental payments from Palo Alto Networks for QRadar on-prem clients who choose to migrate to the Cortex XSIAM platform.
Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO, IBM shared, “Strategic partnerships like the one we’re announcing today with Palo Alto Networks bring with them significant benefits across the industry. Advanced threat protection and automation, underpinned by Cortex XSIAM and watsonx, and coupled with IBM Consulting, will speed client and partner adoption of next-generation security operations. We’ll deliver these capabilities with Palo Alto Networks, and accelerate our security investments and innovation in areas like data security and identity and access management.”
IBM Consulting will be a preferred Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) for current and future Palo Alto Networks customers. In addition, a joint Security Operations Center will feature a managed SOC, and the companies will also establish a joint Cyber Range that will offer immersive experiences for customers to further understand the value of Palo Alto Networks security products. IBM’s experts with global, regional, and local delivery capabilities will use watsonx, IT automation, and threat intelligence to enhance advisory efforts and drive growth and adoption of Palo Alto Networks security platforms.