NASHUA – Although it is still making strides in the homeland security and defense markets, Nashua-based firm Ezenia is positioning itself to move beyond that realm into other public agencies and the private sector.

The publicly traded company has had sales of just over $10 million a year, according to Chief Financial Officer Roger Tuttle. But now the firm hopes it can use the lessons learned serving the security-sensitive defense market to propel itself into the forefront of the commercial market.

Ezenia's primary product is called InfoWorkSpace. The software allows companies to collaborate and communicate over a secure network, including audio and video capabilities.

When the military went into Iraq in 2003, InfoWorkSpace went with it -- allowing commanders in different locations to collaborate on war plans in a secure online environment.

Federal Sales Manager Orea Nicolls was in Germany in January for a multinational forces meeting where military officials were using Ezenia's product to communicate with other military commanders around the world.

"They had a large auditorium with a lot of high level military officials and they were communicating with several bases in places like Qatar and Korea," she said. "I spoke to one colonel who said, Your product is actually saving lives.'"‰" That's because the military is able to move more quickly on intelligence and information using Ezenia's software, she said.

Gene Wolf, executive vice president of operations, said before the software was approved for use by the military, it went through rigorous testing before getting the stamp of approval by the National Security Agency, which conducts its own testing.

The different intelligence and defense agencies try to break through the software's security in their own labs and research facilities, but the security has never been broken, Wolf said.

The firm also has its own quality assurance lab where it tries to break into the secure networks.

Because of security and government regulations, many of Ezenia's employees have had to apply for security clearance. All of the company's 45 employees are U.S. citizens.

The company has a government "cage code," which is required for companies that have staff members who are given security clearance.

The company has to meet government standards that require its environment, documentation and lab to be secure, said Nicolls.

Also, the government requires the company to do all of its software development in-country -- none of the components can be outsourced, said John Watkins, director of sales operations.

Right now the software is only used overseas by government-directed agencies and firms, but Wolf said in the future the company would be willing to sell to non-U.S. corporations and governments. However, the company would be bound not to sell the software to certain designated countries, such Iran, Iraq and Pakistan.

Wolf, who has spent 25 years in the telecommunications industry, said he came to Ezenia because he saw the list of its clientele and figured the product would be an easy sell to private companies.

The need for security exists in many markets, including the medical, legal and apparel markets, he said.

"Security is a major concern of any corporation," said Wolf.

"It's a natural extension for us because of what we've gone through with the government."