July 2026 M&A: Barracuda, Cyera and MSP Acquisitions

The start of Q3 saw few mergers and acquisitions (M&A) movements across the channel, but these were nonetheless significant.

The acquisitions focused on security and expanding reach into various regions to serve more customers.

Read more about the M&A moves below, and be sure to catch up on last month’s moves.

Barracuda Networks acquires Evo Security

Barracuda Networks has acquired Evo Security, enhancing its BarracudaONE platform with identity and access management (IAM), privileged access management (PAM), and identity threat protection.

Adding Evo’s identity solutions to Barracuda’s identity-driven controls enables the BarracudaONE platform to deliver a unified, end-to-end security architecture.

“Existing enterprise identity solutions are complex, costly, and fail to meet the needs of MSPs that must scale to securely manage millions of identities across thousands of customer environments,” said Rohit Ghai, CEO of Barracuda. 

“We are thrilled to combine Evo Security’s partner-first innovation with our vision of BarracudaONE and offer a complete, intelligent, easy, and open platform that closes this gap. As AI accelerates the speed and scale of identity-centric attacks, this combination is uniquely positioned to help organizations big and small stay ahead of these threats,” Ghai added.

The acquisition will enable BarracudaONE to deliver a four-layer identity security architecture to close commonly exploited gaps.

Cribl acquires CardinalOps

Cribl, an AI platform for telemetry, has acquired CardinalOps, an agentic detection engineering solution to extend its platform into security operations.

The extension will help customers improve threat coverage, lower data costs, and enhance security information and event management (SIEM), data lake, and extended detection and response (XDR) environments.

“Security teams do not need more disconnected tools. They need a better way to turn telemetry into effective detections and outcomes,” said Clint Sharp, co-founder and CEO of Cribl. “CardinalOps strengthens our AI Platform for Telemetry by adding deep detection engineering capabilities to the open data infrastructure our customers already rely on and serves as the foundation for a complete, open alternative to the SIEM stack they’ve outgrown.”

The acquisition will enable Cribl to help customers use telemetry more intelligently and continuously validate and improve detections.

Lantronix acquires Vecima’s industrial IoT business

Lantronix Inc. is a provider of Edge AI and industrial IoT solutions powering NDAA-compliant unmanned systems, critical infrastructure, and resilient enterprise networks. The organization has acquired Vecima Network Inc.’s assets, including its industrial IoT (IIoT) business and Nero Global Tracking software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform.

The move adds a SaaS application layer to Lantronix’s edge hardware and connectivity portfolio and expands its critical infrastructure monitoring vertical.

The Nero Global Tracking also brings an established North American customer base across the fleet, municipal, restoration, and industrial asset-tracking markets.

“This acquisition is consistent with our platform strategy and advances exactly where we are looking to take Lantronix: toward higher-margin, recurring-revenue solutions that combine our edge hardware, connectivity, and software capabilities.” At the same time, it complements the strength we are seeing in our drone and aerospace & defense business by expanding into another high-value growth vertical: critical infrastructure monitoring,” said Saleel Awsare, president and CEO of Lantronix.

“Nero brings a proven SaaS application layer, established North American customers, and approximately 125,000 asset tags under management, while Lantronix brings the edge hardware, secure connectivity, and firmware expertise needed to deliver a more complete solution for customers managing mission-critical assets,” Awsare added.

Xtel Communications acquires SimpliMeta

Xtel Communications has acquired SimpliMeta, a Georgia-based technology services firm that handles custom engineering, professional services, national fieldwork, and AI development and solutions. 

This acquisition will enhance hands-on delivery of Xtel’s communications, connectivity, and cybersecurity services.

“For years, Xtel has delivered everything over the network we own and manage. Most providers don’t do the custom design and delivery work, and that leaves a gap in the more complex jobs,” said Brian Flynn, CEO of Xtel. “SimpliMeta brings a mature professional and national field services team that has spent years supporting trusted advisors and their customers. It fits what we already do, and it lets us take on the more complex service work the market is asking for.”

Flynn will continue to lead the combined company as CEO. Meanwhile, Ryan Harrelson, SimpliMeta’s founder and CEO, will join Xtel as a senior leader inside the Commercial organization. 

“We built SimpliMeta to handle the messy part, the stretch between a plan on paper and something that actually runs,” said Harrelson. “A lot of what we do is custom, built by hand, one customer at a time, including the AI work in BOSS. Xtel gives us the reach to keep doing the hard builds and turn the rest into services a lot more businesses can use.”

Focus acquires GuideIT

Focus has acquired GuideIT, a Texas-based managed technology services company, to expand its unified healthcare platform.

The move will help Focus replace fragmented technology relationships with a single accountable partner, enabling healthcare organizations to operate more effectively.

“Healthcare doesn’t have a technology problem, it has an accountability problem,” said Bruce Schaumberg, founder and CEO of Focus. 

“Too many organizations are expected to coordinate multiple technology providers when what they really need is one partner accountable for making technology work. That’s the company we’re building. GuideIT has earned an outstanding reputation by putting clients first, and together we’ll help healthcare organizations spend less time managing vendors and more time delivering exceptional patient care,” he added.

The two companies will enable healthcare organizations to replace multiple technology relationships with a single accountable operating partner. Healthcare leaders will gain a single, trusted team responsible for delivering secure, reliable technology that improves operational performance.

The acquisition will expand Focus’s national delivery capabilities, deepen its technical expertise, and position it to support larger and more complex healthcare organizations while continuing to invest in automation, security, and emerging technologies.

Cyera acquires Oasis Security

Cyera, an AI-native data security platform, has acquired Oasis Security, an identity management startup for nonhuman identities.

The acquisition will unify identity and data security into a single platform built for the age of AI agents.

Oasis will extend Cyera’s agentic AI security platform to enable organizations to continuously determine what every human, machine, and AI agent can see and do.

“Nearly every security leader I talk to tells me the same thing. Agents are arriving faster than teams can govern them,” wrote Yotam Segev, co-founder and CEO of Cyera, in a blog post. 

“Soon, non-human identities will outnumber human ones inside the enterprise, and an agent doesn’t even need to be attacked to cause damage. Give it valid credentials and the right objective, and it can expose sensitive data or break a critical process with no attacker involved at all,” Segev also wrote.

Katalyst acquires Layer27

Katalyst, an e4n platform, has acquired Layer27, a North Carolina-based managed services and cybersecurity provider.

Layer27’s technology stack, vendor relationships, and service delivery will integrate into Katalyst’s platform. The combined organization will help customers accelerate AI adoption while enhancing cybersecurity, cloud, and digital operations.

“Layer27 has spent more than a decade building enterprise-grade IT and security expertise for growing businesses, and we’re excited to welcome their team to Katalyst,” said Luke Johnson, CEO of Katalyst. 

“Beyond their strong customer relationships, Layer27 brings exceptional technical talent and deep Microsoft expertise that further strengthen our platform. Together, we’re creating an even stronger partner for our customers while opening new opportunities for our employees and accelerating innovation,” added Johnson.

CompassMSP makes Logic Group acquisition

CompassMSP has acquired The Logic Group, a Philadelphia-based managed IT and cybersecurity services firm.

The Logic Group has partnered with small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the Philadelphia area and provided specialized expertise across manufacturing, finance, healthcare, and high-growth franchise models.

“The Logic Group’s commitment to long-term relationships and deep roots in the manufacturing and healthcare sectors make them an ideal fit for our culture,” said Milind Shah, CTO of CompassMSP. “We are gaining a team that understands the nuances of regulated industries, the complexities of M&A integration support, and the importance of a familiar, trusted voice for business owners.”

The move helps CompassMSP expand into the Mid-Atlantic region and focus on cybersecurity and compliance resources.

The 20 MSP makes 49th acquisition with Sundance Networks

The 20 MSP has acquired Sundance Networks, a provider of proactive support, cybersecurity, and AI consulting to clients throughout New Mexico, Philadelphia, and New York.

“This is a meaningful step toward our broader goal of developing AI services that deliver real, measurable value to our client base,” said Tim Conkle, The 20 MSP’s founder and CEO. “We got to witness Ryan’s leadership style through his participation in our peer group, and we look forward to seeing what he and his team can achieve with expanded resources and support.”

This move marks The 20 MSP’s 49th acquisition, and key members of Sundance’s team will remain in place post-acquisition.

“Sundance brings serious technical shops — especially around areas like AI and automation — but we’re equally excited about their dedication to client success,” Conkle adds. “We believe strongly in pre-alignment — and in the power of standardization and shared vision. That’s the engine.”