Auckland, New Zealand, 13 November 2024 – Leading email security business SMX is joining the Microsoft hyperscale cloud region in Aotearoa, which will see more than 500,000 mailboxes migrated to the Azure public cloud.
SMX is known for its multi-layered email security service that integrates with Microsoft 365, using advanced threat detection in conjunction with AI technology. SMX secures mailboxes across Australasia for government agencies and enterprise customers, as well as hosting and securing end user email services for telcos and ISPs, all of which require a high level of security and resilience.
The move is intended to make New Zealanders’ emails more resilient to growing cyber threats, whether they are work email services or consumer email subscriptions, including the customers of major internet service providers (ISPs).
With 90 per cent of cyber-attacks originating from an infected email, prioritising email security is paramount for all types of New Zealand organisations; big or small, government or enterprise.
Migrating SMX’s platforms to the new Microsoft cloud region will enable SMX to develop and deploy its solutions faster and more efficiently, replacing more manual, labour-intensive technology with modern automation tools and reducing the number of legacy systems that need to be monitored and maintained.
SMX CEO Richard Fraser says SMX’s priorities aligned naturally with that of Microsoft, specifically the focus on security, high scale resilience and increasing use of automation and AI in cyber security defence, combined with increasing demand for data residency in New Zealand. This made the migration to Azure the right move for the business and its customers.
“We have always taken a ‘better together’ approach to our partnership with Microsoft, and we will continue to collaborate on how to connect and protect local email services,” he said. “At a time when cybercrime is evolving faster than ever, it makes sense to embrace the top platforms and tools, especially in data and automation where we regard Microsoft as the market leader. These are going to give us the edge over attackers and ensure we remain a trusted partner that keeps our customers safe.”
The upcoming Microsoft hyperscale cloud region allows SMX to also store and secure its email secure filtering data across all businesses in New Zealand.
“New Zealanders are attached to their email services. Their email is often a representation of their lives and obviously critical to their business. Our priority is making sure those emails are safe and secure, because we recognise some customers value their email platform as an archive,” said Fraser.
“Ultimately, regardless of how the email accounts are used, our customers’ email subscribers deserve to have their data stored securely, and being able to utilise Azure and the Microsoft cloud region is a significant step forward for our company to scale and advance our security services.”
Vanessa Sorenson, Managing Director of Microsoft New Zealand, said the agreement for SMX to migrate to the new cloud region and ongoing collaboration demonstrates the ever-changing nature of the industry.
“We’ve been working alongside SMX for the past two decades, championing its growth from start-up 20 years ago to a true leader in Australasian cybersecurity. This is not a field where you can afford to stand still – it changes by the millisecond.”
“This move to Microsoft’s hyperscale cloud region in Aotearoa illustrates SMX’s ability to evolve and innovate for the benefit of local customers, and we’re delighted to be part of supporting its ongoing growth and success.”