Risc Amplifies partnership

Security distributor boosts partnership with Amplify.net

Security distributor Risc Technology is strengthening its newly formed UK business by extending its partnership with business continuity vendor Amplify.net to the UK.

Amplify.net's iSurfJanus combines WAN load-balancers and back-up in a single box. Risc will offer the product to VARs as a packaged managed service. Risc joins Tek Data as the vendor's second UK distributor.

The iSurfJanus offering is aimed at customers that use an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line backed up by ISDN, because it sits between the two, switching when failures occur.

Kay Eggleston, UK country manager at Risc Technology, said the product was an "SME play" because this is the market where managed services are taking off.

She added that the distributor is targeting VARs selling bandwidth. "We hope resellers can sell it as a managed service and differentiate themselves from other VARs," she said.

Risc launched its UK presence in June (CRN, 23 June). At the time, Eggleston outlined the distributor's plan to introduce smaller vendors.

Amplify.net joins Blue Coat and Netilla Networks as the company's third UK vendor partner. Risc has already worked with about 50 resellers in the UK.

Lee Harrison, business development director at rival distributor EUR92plus, which offers white-labelled managed services to resellers, said distributors play a key role in supporting the SME channel.

"If resellers cannot afford to set up a managed service but know there is demand, distributors can offer them a full product that they can re-brand," he said.

"We have really seen an increase in activity in the managed services arena, particularly in the SME space.

"It is an unbelievable margin opportunity with resellers selling the boxes and subscriptions, as well as monthly management."