CA launches backup replacement push

CA is offering resellers up to 37 per cent additional margin if they help it dislodge competitive products in the data backup space.

The software vendor used its partner summit in Rome last week to unveil a competitive replacement programme for its ARCserve offering. It is open to any of its 8,000 global resellers and will run for at least 15 months.

Dave Dalton, vice president of worldwide channel marketing at CA, said the vendor is keen to build on its position as a “solid second” in backup software market with its ARCserve offering.

“We have made a decision to aggressively go after market share,” Dalton said.

“If I can be self critical of this business unit it is that we have come up with promotions in December as we are approaching our final quarter. This is a programme not a promotion and we are running it for a minimum of 15 months to ensure resellers get margin out of it.”

Resellers that convince an end user who is about to renew a backup subscription with a rival vendor to switch to CA will net up to 37 per cent margin, in addition to the discount they enjoy as a Platinum, Gold or Silver partner.

“This is three or four times what they would make if they just sold them a renewal,” said Dalton.

To give the programme added clout, CA is throwing in two free XOsoft Replication licenses and an ARCserve Dashboard for any end user who buys an ARCserve subscription.

Dalton stressed that CA has also built “significant incentives” for distributors and sales staff into the programme.

In the UK, the vendor works with distributors CMS and Ingram Micro. It recently parted company with Computer 2000 as part of a pan-European distribution rationalisation drive.

Dalton maintained the data backup market is still growing at between 10 and 20 per cent annually.

“It is no fun grabbing market share unless the market is growing,” he said.