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Users and resellers of RAV AntiVirus, especially popular on Linux platforms, are in limbo after Microsoft's decision to buy the RAV technology from Romania's GeCAD Software Srl.

Microsoft plans to discontinue the RAV product line after completing its acquisition. GeCAD, which claims that its products protect more than 10 million users worldwide, will support current customers through the end of their contracts.

Second-Guessing the Buy

The move has observers speculating about Microsoft's ultimate intentions. They wonder why Microsoft wants technology that powers leading virus scanning tools for e-mail servers on Linux platforms, which are rivals to Windows and Exchange.

"I don't know why Microsoft bought a Linux company. GeCAD's Windows business is really small compared to its Linux business," says Andreas Marx, an antivirus software expert at the University of Magdeburg, Germany.

Marx just completed testing GeCAD's antivirus software for Linux; in his opinion, GeCAD "is really the best antivirus solution for Linux."

GeCAD's RAV AntiVirus for Mail Servers supports a host of e-mail server products, including the free Sendmail, Qmail, and Postfix. It is available for various operating systems, including many flavors of Linux and BSD. Pricing per e-mail domain instead of per mailbox is another major draw for users, experts and users say.

GeCAD resellers in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom say that most of their RAV sales are of RAV Antivirus for e-mail servers on a Linux platform.

Marx sees the takeover as a big blow to Linux users. "Users can switch to other antivirus solutions, but it won't be very easy because RAV has many special features," he says. "It could be possible that Microsoft wants to stop the solution for Linux."

Microsoft is just interested in GeCAD's antivirus engine and its programmers, according to Amy Carroll, group manager at Microsoft's Security Business Unit.

"We acquired the assets and the technology because of the quality of the technology and because the team is a good fit. It would be hard to find an antivirus vendor who did not have products on multiple platforms," she says.

Users Speculate

Tucows, famous for its "cow" review ratings of downloadable software, uses RAV AntiVirus to scan e-mail on its hosted e-mail service. The company runs CommuniGate Pro e-mail server software on Linux and found RAV AntiVirus its best choice.

"RAV is a very good solution--as good as or better than anything out there," says Elliot Noss, Tucows president and CEO. Pricing played a large role in Tucows' decision to go with RAV, he adds.

Though the company prefers RAV AntiVirus, Noss says, replacing the software won't be tough. Tucows will look at antivirus software vendors who don't add dollars to the price tag for brand recognition, he adds.

Union College, a liberal arts college in Schenectady, New York, runs two Sendmail e-mail servers with about 4000 e-mail accounts. It previously used antivirus software from Sophos, but later decided that RAV AntiVirus offered the best virus protection for its buck.

"I researched antivirus solutions for a good eight months, and this was the best deal for the money," says Michael Pate, academic systems administrator. "From a cost perspective, it was $8000 to $12,000 for Sophos as compared with $1000 for RAV."

Now, Pate says, "We're going to start looking again. There are a couple of competitors that license in a similar way [to GeCAD] and that run on the Linux platform."

Resellers Dangle

Users aren't the only ones scrambling in the aftermath of Microsoft's takeover of RAV technology. GeCAD's sales partners in 60 countries now have one less product line to sell.

RAE Internet of New Rochelle, New York, the sole U.S. distributor of RAV Antivirus, has more than 1000 U.S. customers for RAV's software. Most are small ISPs, says Michael Katz, president of RAE Internet.

Microsoft probably wanted to pick up good technology cheap, Katz says. But he suggests that Microsoft also relishes the opportunity to jab at its Linux rivals.

"In my view, RAV was purchased because of its integrated virus and scan engine to add into their products. It was probably dirt cheap and maybe Microsoft got the added benefit of sticking it in the side of Linux users," Katz says. Over half of his RAV customers use the software for Linux mail servers, he adds.

Asgher Ali, sales manager at GeCAD reseller Axia Computer Systems in Watford, England, calls it "a shame" that RAV products will disappear. Most of his approximately 60 customers who bought RAV products run them with Sendmail on Linux, he says.

"I was shocked by the takeover," Ali says. "RAV AntiVirus is a very good product and it was gaining market share. It would have become a strong market leader in the Linux market."

Joe MacDonald, owner of Focus Computer Consulting in Kelowna, British Columbia, a GeCAD reseller, agrees.

"I think the takeover is a step in the wrong direction for RAV," MacDonald says. "I think they are walking away from a good thing." About 90 percent of those who purchased RAV from Focus Computer bought it for Linxu mail servers, he adds.

"Is Microsoft using this as a method to take away commercial products from the Linux community? I think GeCAD just got offered a pretty big check that they could not say no to," MacDonald adds.