Sophos signs Ingram to grab low-end SMEs

sara_yirrell@vnu.co.uk

Security vendor Sophos has appointed broadliner Ingram Micro as its first UK distributor as it looks to penetrate the lower end of the SME market.

However, the vendor has denied the partnership will have any impact on its existing single-tier channel strategy, because it is concentrated on Sophos’s Small Business Solutions boxed products, rather than its entire product portfolio.

Stuart Small, UK sales director at Sophos, said: “Ingram will be responsible for distributing our Small Business Edition products that serve the small office/home office and SMEs.

“As that side of the market grows we felt we needed some additional logistical and marketing support that will benefit both our customers and resellers. Ingram is one of the largest organisations globally and will give us a broad approach to the market.”

Small claimed that the vendor’s direct-touch VARs will remain unaffected by the appointment.

“All licensing and renewals will go through the rest of our channel. There will be no change to the way we do business with our channel,” he said.

However, Small added that although the vendor has no current plans to extend the relationship with Ingram, or appoint further distributors, it is not something that will be ruled out if the demand is there.

Paul Prior, managing director of VAR Foursys, said: “If Sophos has signed Ingram to add to its coverage, it is quite a logical move. It will give Sophos access to more small-business resellers.”

Bhavesh Patel, commercial director at Ingram, said: “Sophos will still carry on with direct relationships with resellers. We are concentrating just on the SME space.”

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