Piolink

Piolink Inc. operates as a specialized provider of cloud data center optimization solutions, with a strong focus on application networking and security. Founded on July 26, 2000, in South Korea, the company emerged during the initial surge of internet and venture companies. The name 'Piolink' is a blend of 'Pioneer' and 'Link', reflecting its mission to be a trailblazer in connecting the world more quickly and securely through its network and security technologies. It was established by seven members from a graduate school laboratory at Seoul National University's Department of Control and Instrumentation Engineering, including the current CEO, Young C. Cho. Young C. Cho was a founding member and served as the director of the technology research center before becoming CEO in 2007.

The firm’s business model revolves around the development and sale of proprietary hardware and software, alongside providing managed security and consulting services. Piolink generates revenue through the sale of its products and annual maintenance contracts with a global network of authorized partners. The client base is diverse, with a 60/40 split between public and private sector customers, including enterprises in Japan, the UAE, Southeast Asia, and China. A significant milestone was achieved in August 2013 when the company was listed on the KOSDAQ stock exchange. By 2016, Piolink had secured a dominant 35-40% market share in the domestic Application Delivery Controller (ADC) market, a position it has maintained for a decade.

Piolink's product portfolio is designed to enhance the availability, performance, and security of data centers. Key offerings include Application Delivery Controllers (ADCs) under the 'PAS' series, which are advanced L4/7 switches providing load balancing, firewall, and DDoS protection. The 'WEBFRONT' series is a Web Application and API Protection (WAAP) solution that utilizes AI and deep learning to defend web servers against attacks. Another core product is the 'TiFRONT' cloud-managed security switch, which enables network micro-segmentation to implement zero-trust security within internal networks. The company also offers a Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI) solution for cloud infrastructure deployment and data management. These products are complemented by a suite of services, including managed security, security consulting, vulnerability assessments, and mock hacking.

Keywords: cloud data center optimization, application delivery controller, network security, web application firewall, ADC, WAF, managed security services, KOSDAQ, Young C. Cho, TiFRONT, WEBFRONT, application networking, load balancing, zero-trust security, network micro-segmentation, cyber resilience, data center infrastructure, API protection, security switch, security consulting