Remote upgrade set to take resellers further

Vendor claims the latest version of its filtering product will bring resellers upsell oppportunities

Web filtering vendor Websense has extended its product portfolio with the launch of Remote Filtering Version 6, which it has claimed will provide its channel with “significant” upsell opportunities.

Version 6 extends Websense’s web security technology to corporate laptop users outside an organisation’s network.

Frank Coggrave, regional director at Websense, said the product can scale from 25 to 120,000 users and allows its resellers to differentiate themselves from the competition.

“When Websense first launched, our objective was to stop employees accessing forbidden sites, but now we are moving more towards a security play. Version 6 extends that security approach from a traditional gateway solution, and makes it available to remote users. This then allows resellers to extend their security message. More companies are allowing laptop usage, and Version 6 will enable them to get a remote working policy in place,” Coggrave said.

“The channel is always looking for something that means they don’t have to sell a commodity. Websense is based on a subscription model, which means customers have to rebuy the product every year.

“That means every year we come up with something new and different which gives our channel the opportunity to upsell, rather than suffering the effects of squeezed margins and commoditisation.”

Nick Garlick, managing director of VAR Nebulas Security, said he has never had any doubts about using Websense.

“We have always been focused on Websense. It has been our preferred URL filtering solution. Websense is leading the market in terms of innovations around web security, especially in areas such as spyware and remote working,” he said.

“I think the product is going to go down very well with our customers because it will address some of the new threats they are facing, such as phishing and pharming.

“I am happy working with Websense and believe it is a very strong vendor.”