McAfee scales services through Elite partners

Top-level resellers will be able to offer McAfee-branded services under accreditation

McAfee plans to launch a new channel accreditation that will allow its top-level resellers to provide McAfee-branded services on its behalf.
Partners can already resell McAfee-branded services, but currently the fulfilment of the services is done by the security vendor itself.
The new accreditation, which is aimed at McAfee’s Elite partners, will enable resellers to deliver
professional consultancy services
for its four core product areas: data protection; risk and compliance; networking and messaging security; and end-node security.
Rob Eatwell, regional channel director of the UK and Ireland at McAfee, said: “The idea is to scale professional services through partners, rather than them making a small margin by reselling our services.
He said the firm plans to go to market later in the first quarter and build on the services from there.
Paul Spencer, managing director at VAR Axial Systems, said. “We are the only McAfee reseller accredited to Elite level in all four product areas and will go for the services accreditation for each.
“The problem with some McAfee products is they are very difficult for Elite resellers to differentiate themselves on, as McAfee provides everything the end user needs in terms of post sales and support. This is a positive move that will help Elite partners achieve a stronger return on their investment.”
Eatwell said the accreditation would complement the launch of its new data protection product, Total Protection for Data. The new product is the first to combine its data leak prevention technology with the encryption software it acquired through the purchase of SafeBoot.
McAfee sells up to SafeBoot