Cyber-Ark sets the pace with channel expansion

Security vendor Cyber-Ark is continuing its rapid channel expansion after it signed four UK resellers in the last three months.

The firm, which specialises in vaulting technology, signed deals with Integralis, Peapod, Logicalis and Chameleon Security Solutions to cope with what it has claimed is increased demand from enterprise customers.

Cyber-Ark, which operates a two-tier channel model in the UK through its sole distributor NOXS, has claimed its technology provides a “safe haven” where information is protected when shared or transmitted over the internet between enterprises, or controlled in a single network.

Calum Macleod, European director of Cyber-Ark, said: “There is a growing awareness from end-users, and more resellers are being asked about digital vaulting technology, particularly as issues of compliance become more prevalent.

“We are finding that resellers are coming to us because they are being asked by companies to secure their documents. As a result we are seeing significant growth in the number of resellers in the UK and Europe.”

However, Macleod said the vendor has been “pretty selective” in terms of the type of VAR it brings on board.

“We need resellers that have the service capability and know the market well enough to help us gain traction, but we are not just taking anyone on board for the sake of it,” he said.

Mark Thomas, technical director at Chameleon Security Solutions, said Cyber-Ark’s products fitted very well into its portfolio.

“We are focused on the information security space and Cyber-Ark has the only products that can help us achieve our aims. The threat of managing information has gone unseen for the past few years as people have been more concerned about focusing on the network.

“Cyber-Ark can provide a level of control over passwords, documents and IP that no-one else can. It’s a massively untapped area and we are confident that the market will continue to grow,” Thomas said.

However, Thomas said Cyber-Ark should keep a strict eye on its channel to help partners maintain their competitiveness.

“The channel has to be controlled. It [Cyber-Ark] should not try to sign up multiple partners otherwise problems do arise,” he said.

Kay Eggleston, managing director of NOXS, said the distributor’s main aim is to keep Cyber-Ark’s channel as “exclusive as possible”.

“We would like to keep the

reseller base quite small. It’s a nice product and not something that fits all verticals. Resellers have to know the product inside out and it involves a lot of consulting. We want partners that are dedicated. It is never going to become a commodity,” she added.