SonicWall jumps on SilverBack MSSP deal
Vendor adds ISV's technology to programme
Security vendor SonicWall has bolstered its Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) programme with technology developed by one of its ISV partners.
The firm has claimed SilverBack's IT and security monitoring technology will help its MSSP partners boost margin by enabling them to manage security and IT across end-user networks from a central point.
Kevin Thiele, managing director of SonicWall EMEA, said the service could be used with multiple vendors' security products and will provide resellers with continued revenue streams.
"The money gained from product sales isn't very exciting and we need to add more service revenue for the reseller. End-users can now outsource management of SonicWall devices more easily," he said.
According to analyst firm IDC, the services market is set to grow by 6.9 per cent over the next five years, and corporate and government spending on services will total $553bn in 2004.
SonicWall's MSSP channel programme was launched last month to simplify provision of security services and to help partners increase margin. Blue River Systems and Fairbridge Communications are currently signed up.
"We are looking for resellers with a managed services focus. We have four on the cards already, but we want 12 by the end of the year," Thiele said.
He claimed SilverBack's addition will also help resellers to make more money through services and to bring "heavyweight products" to the end-user.
"We are making it less about products and more about services," he said.
"It's a great way of wrapping security up in a neat package. SilverBack's addition allows customers to avoid the security minefield, and they will want to outsource to do that."
Paul Webb, business development director at Blue River Systems, agreed. "This allows us to extend the range we manage and make more money," he said.
"The ability to put more things under one umbrella will be good, and the SME sector will be particularly attracted by that."