RSA and Trend shake up distribution

2003 brings upheaval in the security reseller community

The new year kicked off with more surprises for the security reseller community, when both RSA Security and Trend Micro announced changes to their distribution channels.

RSA and its distributor Allasso will part company next month after a two and a half year relationship.

RSA has already chosen Ideal to replace Allasso as its third UK distributor, in an attempt to win more Microsoft resellers.

Steve Wheeler, UK sales manager at RSA, explained that the vendor's new focus required a new distributor. "The decision was as mutual as could be," he said.

Bernie Dodwell, sales and marketing director at Allasso, said that between 25 and 30 per cent of RSA's UK business during the partnership period had gone through his firm, but admitted that both companies could benefit from new partners.

"It was a mutual agreement," he confirmed. "RSA was not able to give us the pan-European coverage that we wanted."

Trend Micro has enlisted equIP as a new distributor, but sources predicted that the vendor will consolidate its distribution. Trend Micro currently works with Unipalm, E92plus and Sphinx in the UK.

But one source, who chose to remain anonymous, said: "I would expect Trend Micro to drop one of its existing distributors following this latest agreement."

However, David Ellis, director of e-security at Unipalm, denied that this was inevitable.

"Since the demise of Peapod Distribution (CRN, 9 December), Trend Micro has decided to go back to four distributors," he said. "But I understand it will be looking at all distributors' performances."

Neil Ledger, co-founder of equIP, said that the deal would give Trend Micro a more diverse range of resellers.

"It also enables our resellers to provide antivirus alongside other security products from one distribution source," he added.