When Skybox Security shut down, it raised real concerns for me, not just about employment, but about how the situation could affect the professional credibility I’ve built over nearly 25 years in this industry. I had sold Skybox into some of the most security-conscious organizations in Italy, from public sector agencies to enterprise networks, often competing head-to-head with Tufin and AlgoSec. In my first year, I outperformed entire regional teams, not because I had the easiest solution to sell, but because I had built trust with customers. I took the time to understand their environments. I knew their pain points. And I knew they were now stranded, just like I was.
So when the dust settled, I had a decision to make: walk away, or show up.
I chose the latter.
Not Just Another Job
I needed a way to bring my customers continuity, something they desperately needed but weren’t being offered. They had invested in a platform that disappeared overnight. Contracts void. Support gone. Licensing and migration unclear. What they needed now wasn’t a pushy replacement vendor. They needed a partner they already trusted.
That’s why I didn’t immediately accept any offer. Yes, Tufin and AlgoSec reached out. But I took my time. I did my own technical due diligence because I knew my next move had to pass a simple but critical test: If I present this solution to my customers, can I do it with confidence?
FireMon passed that test.
FireMon vs. the Alternatives
I evaluated every key aspect: scalability, performance, feature set, roadmap, deployment flexibility, and even how each vendor treated the Skybox situation.
- FireMon was the only one that matched Skybox’s security policy management capabilities while improving on them. Faster performance. Greater scalability. Intelligent features like SiQL querying and powerful Traffic Flow Analysis which Skybox never had.
- FireMon didn’t force customers into SaaS when they weren’t ready. Many of my public sector clients require on-prem deployments. AlgoSec, like Skybox before, is prioritizing cloud and removing parity between on-prem and SaaS offerings. FireMon gives customers choice without compromise.
- FireMon had empathy. They weren’t just looking to take market share. They took the time to understand what happened and how they could offer real support to Skybox customers and partners.
Doing the Homework for My Customers
When Skybox went dark, I didn’t immediately knock on customer doors with a new pitch. I sat down. I mapped the technical capabilities of each vendor. I asked myself the tough questions my customers would ask me. And only after I felt certain that FireMon could deliver more than what they had lost did I make the call.
FireMon wasn’t the most visible vendor in Italy at the time. That was actually part of the opportunity. Customers weren’t choosing against FireMon, they just didn’t know about it yet. That’s my job to change.
Rebuilding Together
I’ve already held more meetings in two weeks with FireMon than Skybox had in Italy in the past year. The feedback? “We didn’t even know this solution existed—but we love what we’re seeing.”
It’s not about selling them something new. It’s about giving them back the visibility, control, and automation they lost. It’s about offering stability. FireMon’s long-term customer retention, strong support organization, and transparent roadmap stand in sharp contrast to what my customers just went through.
Why I Stayed in This Space
I thought about leaving the NSPM world altogether. But I chose to stay for my customers because I know their environments. I know what they lost. And I know what they need. I wasn’t going to walk away and leave them without a solution.
Now, I can confidently say: I’ve found that solution in FireMon.
And I’m ready to rebuild together.
Interested in learning how FireMon can support your transition from Skybox or improve your current NSPM strategy? Discover what FireMon can do for you.