When we founded ExtraHop back in 2007, we set out to do one thing: Make network data easier to use.

We knew that the network is the enterprise's ultimate source of truth and if we could unlock its power - understand the conversations between devices and applications, and analyze it in real-time - we could finally eliminate the blind spots where risk becomes reality.

Navigating Uncharted Territory

The early days were marked by intense development, pushing the boundaries of network analysis. We had to build a solution that could handle the massive scale and speed of highly dispersed and complex organizations - something most had deemed impossible when these networks were averaging 150 million packets per second.

Our solution also had to be passive - it couldn’t interfere with or impact network performance - and still deliver the most in-depth network insights, right down to the wire level. This meant going beyond simple packet capture and delving into the application layer, understanding the nuances of protocols and transactions, even with limited storage and compute resources.

It wasn’t going to be easy. We could’ve cut corners, but we weren’t willing to sacrifice any of those elements; any compromise would have impeded our ultimate goal.

It took two years to build our first prototype… But we delivered. High speed programming. Unprecedented machine learning outputs. Seamless user experiences. Storage at levels that were incomprehensible at that time - and still are today.

One Solution, Many Uses

We were confident in the power of our technology. However, positioning it within specific market categories proved difficult. We weren't just another monitoring tool; we offered a holistic view that transcended traditional boundaries and had limitless potential.

As we quickly learned, articulating this breadth without overwhelming potential customers required a nuanced approach. We needed to find a way to communicate our comprehensive capabilities while remaining grounded in the immediate challenges they faced.

By actively listening to their experiences, we positioned our solution as an application delivery assurance platform. This customer-centric approach became core to our growth. Their evolving needs continued to shape our innovation, and, ultimately, how we showed up in the market.

When customers were hungry for even more network insights, they were the driving force behind our unmatched full packet capture (PCAP) and robust record storage options.

And they were the ones who championed our ability to power threat detection and response; their enthusiasm propelled us into the cybersecurity market with the RevealX platform launch in January 2018 - exactly 11 years after we founded the company. While we always saw the potential (we could detect zero days like Shellshock and Heartbleed faster than traditional solutions long before the pivot), our customers’ unwavering support and belief in what we built was the driving force.

The Strength of Our History

Though we have served a diverse set of markets and use cases, we have consistently delivered one product that reflects our foundational purpose to arm organizations with the deep, actionable network insights necessary to thrive in an increasingly complex digital world.

Those same founding principles have been critical in establishing our market leadership. To this day, we receive unrelenting praise for the capabilities we first developed 10, 20 years ago, when we were a monitoring company, and see customers successfully leveraging them to defend against today's most formidable security threats.

Our history is not just a timeline of innovation; it's a testament to the power of the network and what it can do for the enterprise, which remains the driving force behind our evolution. We recognize that the network's complexities will only deepen, and its role as the enterprise's central nervous system will become even more critical.

By staying true to our core principles, we will continue to pioneer advancements that provide unprecedented visibility and actionable intelligence, while meeting customers where they are. As their needs evolve, we remain committed to ensuring we remain a valuable partner on their journeys.