Massachusetts-based cloud platform Akamai Technologies is gaining new DDoS migration capabilities thanks to the purchase of Florida-based IT security services firm Prolexic Technologies, which it plans to carry out for US$370m.

Akamai said it wants to provide customers with a comprehensive portfolio of security solutions designed to defend an enterprise’s Web and IP infrastructure against application-layer, network-layer and data center attacks delivered via the Internet.

Prolexic is a provider of cloud based security solutions for protecting data centers and enterprise IP applications from distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. 

Tom Leighton, CEO of Akamai, said his company will combine its security and performance platform with Prolexic’s DDoS mitigation solutions for data center and enterprise applications protection.

Under the terms of the definitive agreement Akamai will acquire all of the outstanding equity of Prolexic in exchange for a net cash payment of approximately $370m.

The closing of the transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals, is expected to occur in the first half of 2014.

Akamai’s Q4 2013 existing guidance remains unchanged as a result, while the Prolexic acquisition is expected to be slightly dilutive to Akamai’s Non-GAAP net income per share in the first full year post closure in the range of $0.06 to $0.08. 

Akamai will include Prolexic in its guidance going forward when the acquisition closes.