WatchGuard adds Sphinx to distribution riddle

Sphinx gains full WatchGuard distribution rights three months after Borderware acquisition

Hatton: our focus on McAfee and Juniper is more enterprise

WatchGuard has handed distributor Sphinx access to its full portfolio after integrating the technology of recent acquisition Borderware onto its platform.

Sphinx was content and email security vendor Borderware’s sole UK distributor when WatchGuard bought Borderware in August. It joins Wick Hill, Ingram Micro and Northamber in WatchGuard’s UK distribution line-up.

The move came as WatchGuard launched WatchGuard XCS, an appliance-based on Borderware’s offering combining cloud-based security, data loss prevention and messaging security technologies.

Mark Hatton, chief executive of Sphinx, told CRN: “WatchGuard moved quickly to integrate the Borderware product into the WatchGuard XCS platform. It made sense to say 'if you were selling Borderware, we will also give you access to WatchGuard'.”

Sphinx already carries Juniper and McAfee in the network security space, but Hatton insisted there would be no overlap.

“Our focus on McAfee and Juniper is more enterprise and WatchGuard more on the SME market,” he explained.

The appointment will mean WatchGuard has four UK distributors – including two broadliners – and it is believed the vendor is considering making further changes.

Hatton insisted there was enough market for Sphinx and fellow VAD Wick Hill to go at.

"Wick Hill is a good outfit with market creation utmost in its mind, as we have. We will work in the same market space quite comfortably."