Resellers get caught in Vistorm channel drive

Managed security services firm wants to push its services further into the SME space

Vistorm is launching its first channel recruitment drive to push its services further into the SME space.

The company, which rebranded from a traditional security VAR model into an Information Assurance specialist earlier this year (CRN, 26 June, see box), is looking to partner with between 10 and 15 resellers initially to capitalise on the growing demand for Unified Threat Management (UTM) and outsourced managed services.

Darren Antill, managing director of Vistorm, told CRN: “For the past two years we have been working with UK system integrators on a project-by-project basis. They pulled us into certain projects for our expertise in areas such as rationalisation and secure application delivery.

“As this developed, we realised that this type of capability would also be relevant to smaller channel organisations, particularly those with ongoing issues around compliance and governance.”

Antill added that the initiative is purely based around services. Resellers will procure hardware through their normal channels.

David Spreadbury, head of channel business at Vistorm, said the push was aimed at two different types of partner: referral partners and partners that will buy and sell white-label Vistorm services to their own clients.

“SMEs are interested in reducing costs and the number of contracts they deal with,” he said. “A lot of resellers don’t have the resources to invest in their own managed services offering. We have already invested heavily in our services capability and we can help resellers broaden their approach.”

Vistorm has already signed its first partner to the scheme – Computrad (Europe) – and has two others in the pipeline.

Zaki Farooq, managing director of Computrad, said: “This gives us the ability to penetrate new markets that we would otherwise not be actively engaged in. It also gives us the flexibility of a mid-sized business, but with a global presence.” C

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