CREDANT Technologies

About CREDANT Technologies

CREDANT Technologies, founded in 2001 by Bob Heard, Chris Burchett, and Andrew Kahl, established itself as a specialized provider of data protection solutions before its acquisition by Dell in December 2012. The founding team identified a significant market opportunity in enterprise data security as internet usage became widespread. Bob Heard, who served as CEO, brought extensive experience from roles at IBM, S2 Systems, and Entrust Technologies. Chris Burchett, the CTO, had a background in computer science and software development at i2 Technologies. Based in Addison, Texas, the company focused on securing endpoint data for large organizations.

The firm's business model centered on providing a comprehensive data protection platform for enterprise clients across sectors such as healthcare, finance, government, and aerospace. Its core offering was the CREDANT Mobile Guardian (CMG) Enterprise Edition, a policy-based security suite designed to protect data on laptops, desktops, smartphones, and removable media without hindering user productivity or IT processes. This platform managed data encryption across its entire lifecycle, from the device to the cloud. Revenue was generated through licensing fees, with pricing structured per device or "shield," which varied based on the volume of endpoints protected.

CREDANT's technology provided centralized management through a single console, allowing administrators to enforce security policies across a diverse range of devices and operating systems, including Windows and Mac OS X. Key features included full disk encryption, protection for external media, and management for self-encrypting drives. The platform was engineered to integrate with existing IT infrastructure, such as Cisco NAC and RSA SecurID, and supported the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend by securing multiple mobile operating systems. A significant milestone was the strategic partnership with Dell, which embedded CREDANT's technology into its Dell Data Protection | Encryption product line long before the eventual acquisition was finalized.