Networking and security vendor Juniper Networks is looking to convince the UK channel that it is a force to be reckoned with in the switching market.

The company recently sent a letter to US partners of rival Nortel aiming to woo VARs from the ailing communications vendor.

David Small, EMEA vice president of channel sales at Juniper, said: “The purpose of the letter was to give quality networking resellers the message that Juniper remains focused on the channel. EMEA has a broader geographic dispersal and the more appropriate approach was to communicate with partners one on one.”

Juniper has 400 UK resellers, 25 of which have attained Select status and six of which are Elite Partners. Small claimed the Juniper EX series switching offering, which was unveiled in January, could sit comfortably in the portfolio of a VAR selling Cisco or Nortel.

“The EX series has been more successful than anticipated,” he said. “We have had a number of key wins in the UK.”