Novell has announced the acquisition of network security solutions provider e-Security for $72 million in cash.

Novell Chairman and CEO Jack Messman said that the deal would bump his company's annual revenues by $20 million. But more importantly, he said during a noon conference call, the deal closes an important gap in Novell's overall security offering.

"This demonstrates our commitment to being a strong player in the security market," he said.

Messman also said the acquisition reflects the company's strong vision.

"We have an aggressive plan to integrate and deliver new products," he said.

Messman was asked whether this acquisition was a distraction from its primary focus; the company has said that Linux would be the centerpiece of its strategic direction.

However, Messman disputed that proposition.

"We've always said we had a three-pronged strategy," he told internetnews.com.

"We have not diminished our focus on Linux. We are focusing primarily on Linux but also identity and our workgroup products [i.e. Novell's Netware and open enterprise server products]. We are focused on all three of those."

Messman said that Novell's identity security products have grown by between 12 percent and 14 percent over the past year.

Novell currently offers security solutions focused on identity and systems management, such as SecureLogin, Storage Manager and Identity Manager.

But its platform does not currently allow for any kind of real-time alerts or event management.

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