Trend Micro signs distribution agreement with Westcon for Cisco market push

Network security vendor Trend Micro has signed a distribution partnership with Westcon to help push its products further into the Cisco market.

Trend has an OEM partnership with the networking giant to supply content security technology – including anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-spam, anti-phishing, URL blocking and filtering, and content filtering – around Cisco’s Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) 5500 series.

Westcon will use its Cisco expertise in its Comstor division to distribute the ASA 5500 Series Content Security and Control Security Services Module to SME VARs in Europe.

Bernie Dodwell, European security solutions manager at Westcon Group Europe, said: “This is a good upsell opportunity. It gives VARs the chance to make extra margin. Because it is a clearly defined market, we can be focused and target the right end-users.”

Dodwell added that the partnership is global and will see Westcon distribute Trend Micro’s entire product set in the US.

Anthony O’Mara, vice-president of sales and operations at Trend Micro, said the partnership will not affect the vendor’s other distributors, including e92plus and Sphinx.

“There is no overlap with our other distribution partners and we don’t see any conflict arising,” he said. “The relationship with Westcon is driven by the partnership we have with Cisco. It will give us the opportunity to get our message out to new VARs.”

Mukesh Gupta, managing director of e92plus, told CRN that the partnership with Westcon is not a problem, provided that it remains centred around Cisco.

“Westcon will be dealing with the OEM version of Trend on Cisco, so it shouldn’t have an impact on our business,” he said.

“It could actually drive more end-users to look at Trend in more detail, which could be good for us. However, things change, so you never know what may happen in the future.”

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