Second ISS distributor to widen market reach

Second ISS distributor to widen market reach

Internet Security Systems (ISS) has signed Comstor as its second UK distributor, but has claimed it will not cause any channel conflict.

Comstor, a division of Westcon Group, will offer ISS’ Proventia range to its reseller base in the UK and Ireland and focus more on the networking side of security.

Howard Freeman, channel manager at ISS, said: “The timing was perfect. One of ISS’ strategic objectives in the UK, as well as focusing on the specific application space, was to have a presence in the networking space and that is why we decided to extend our existing distributor relationships. We partnered with Comstor in the US, so it made sense to partner with it in the UK.”

Freeman said the appointment will not affect its existing relationship with Unipalm. “Unipalm will carry on growing its business. Comstor will be taking us into the networking space, so there will be no changes to our channel. We have set out objectives for each very clearly,” he said.

Stuart Taylor, manager of the OneDefense Business Unit at Comstor, UK added: “We have been setting up a team for networking security globally and this partnership with ISS seemed a logical fit. Our resellers told us they are ready to move into more specialised areas and make themselves more profitable around services that they provide.”

However, David Ellis, director of e-security at Unipalm, was unsure.

“To be totally honest I am disappointed that ISS has done this, but they have assured me that they have signed Comstor to bring incremental business and that they will manage the channel properly. Comstor focuses on different markets to us and as long as ISS manages the channel the way it has committed to manage it, it should be fine.”