Sun stuck into the middle with Allasso
Vendor targets mid-market and appoints new distributor
Sun is attempting to target the mid-market and has appointed a new distributor to support its billion-dollar European channel push (CRN, 16 June).
Sun has named Allasso as the specialist security distributor for its iForce mid-range general-purpose server.
Chris Sarfas, sales manager for enterprise channel partners at Sun, said Allasso added a new dimension to its distribution tier. The compatibility of iForce with Check Point software was the key to Sun's choice.
"We want to develop a server appliance with security built in, and Allasso offers us capabilities in this area," said Sarfas.
Gary Nugent, who stepped in as Sun's iForce channel and mid-market manager recently, said the vendor was not looking for a raw product distribution agreement.
"These are packaged appliance solutions going to customers. Expect a number of agreements such as the one with Allasso over the coming weeks and months," he said.
"This is the first step as part of a larger plan. There will be acceleration of the programme in July, August and September."
Colin Macadam, European operations director at Allasso, confirmed the companies were in discussions about the distribution of the appliance across Europe. Allasso will give Sun access to about 6,000 resellers across the continent.
But Sun is not alone in pushing into the mid-market.
One distributor told CRN: "IBM and Hewlett-Packard are going into that market as well. It seems to be part of a trend by vendors to stop distribution catering to corporate resellers, and concentrate on the mid-market."
RedMonk senior analyst James Governor said: "I am pleasantly surprised a vendor is doing something it has said it will do, in this case, drive into the mid-market through the channel. It doesn't happen often with vendors. I hope it becomes fashionable."