Tadasoft was set up by three NTS directors in 2004, but has only now unveiled its first product - a configuration backup appliance. It aims to appoint up to three distributors and recruit a network of VARs to push the product to mid to large UK firms.

Jonathan Lassman, managing director of NTS and Tadasoft, told CRN: “Tadasoft is the first product out there that can back up the configuration of multi-vendor appliances in a network.

“The only competition is from products such as CiscoWork, which only backs up configurations of Cisco and costs about three times the price. Any organisation with more than 500 people will have a need for a product such as this.”

Although NTS and Tadasoft share three directors and NTS will sell the vendor’s products, Lassman stressed they were separate legal entities.

“We want to keep them separate and sell the products via distribution, as resellers have a problem buying from other resellers,” he said.

However, channel onlookers questioned whether NTS had erected enough ‘Chinese walls’ to quell potential channel conflict.

Bernie Dodwell, European security manager at distributor Westcon, said: “The only way to stop the perceived conflict is by ensuring that the product is only available through distribution and that NTS does not sell it. No matter how many Chinese walls are put in place, the perception that the reseller can cherry pick the business it wants will remain.”

Mukesh Gupta, managing director of distributor e92plus, said: “If they can disassociate the company as much as possible and run it autonomously as a separate firm, they shouldn’t have any problems. Most resellers are doing something along these lines so if they can make a success of it, good luck to them.”

Lassman said Tadasoft is already in talks with security distributor Wick Hill, with a view to finalising a contract in January or February.

“Demand will dictate the speed at which we take on further distributors,” he added.