Cohort eyes services VARs for growth plan

Distributor turns its sights to managed services arena after signing Karalon agreement

Written by Doug Woodburn

Distributor Cohort Technologies is hunting for managed services resellers after signing testing tools manufacturer Karalon as its fifth vendor.

Cohort, which was founded by Grahame Smee in March, already works with security appliance vendors ForeScout and Mi5 Networks and IP telephony outfits ShoreTel and VegaStream.

Smee said the latest signing represents a departure for the distributor. “We’re trying to choose vendors that have minimal conflict with each other and Karalon is different from our other security products as it’s a software testing and compliance tool,” he said.

“Karalon allows you to test either the whole or a part of the security infrastructure. It will be useful to partners who offer managed services and vulnerability testing because it’s another tool they can use to make money out of services.”

Smee said Cohort would offer VARs a free 14-day trial of the software.

The Cohort signing represents UK-based Karalon’s first foray into the channel following a 12-month period courting security vendors such as Cisco and Juniper.

Tony Haywood, chief technology officer at Karalon, said: “I founded Karalon in 2005 and we’ve initially taken a soft and quiet approach by tying up with security vendors and testing houses. They’ve acted as a technical sounding board and now we’ve gained their seal of approval we can go into the market place with technology that is solid.

“I liked Cohort’s approach as it has truly evolved from the traditional distribution model by providing a proactive and consultative approach.”

Haywood, who used to be a senior security engineer at ISS, also set up security vendor Blade Software in 2002, which was sold in 2004.

Grahame Smee launches new distributor

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