RSA reassures channel following EMC takeover
Security giant claims acquisition will mean business as usual for its partners
RSA Security has been swift to calm channel uncertainty following its surprise takeover by storage giant EMC last week (CRN, 3 July).
The acquisition, for about $2.1bn, will see RSA operate as EMC’s Information Security Division and is expected to close by the third or fourth quarter, subject to approval.
Richard Turner, vice-president of EMEA at RSA, told CRN: “We see this as a marriage [of technology] through acquisition. A company can go out and buy a notebook or machine, but what is very difficult to protect is the data. It is logical to partner with companies such as EMC that dominate the storage space.”
Turner added that the combined company will offer RSA technology embedded into the infrastructure to deliver more added value. However, he stressed that it would continue to be business as usual for RSA’s channel partners.
“RSA’s product and channel strategy will continue to evolve as dictated by our business goals and by the market opportunity,” he said. “I can’t stress too much that it will be business as usual for RSA until we are told anything different.
“The core two-tier channel business that we have been selling through SecurWorld continues to evolve. We also have new initiatives kicking off and we are looking at new channels and new markets.”
David Henderson, sales director at RSA partner Armadillo, said the merger could open up the storage world to traditional security players.
“RSA made two acquisitions itself recently and we are just starting to see interest in those products [from customers],” he added. “So we hope these products don’t get lost in the EMC acquisition.”
Mark Evans, commercial director at VAR Imerja, said he was unconcerned about the acquisition.
“We have a good relationship with RSA and this is not going to damage its product or reputation,” he said. “It will be interesting to see how this is going to expand opportunities for us as we take our knowledge of RSA into other markets and enhance our offerings through something that’s properly integrated rather than just a bolt-on.”