Expand buys DiskSites in SME WAN offensive
WAN-optimisation vendor has claimed its channel will benefit from a price reduction on US firm's technology
WAN-optimisation vendor Expand Networks has acquired DiskSites to strengthen its SME presence.
US-based DiskSites provide wide-area file services (WAFS) software that optimises the delivery of applications over a network.
DiskSites’ technology has already been integrated into the Expand platform through an OEM agreement that was announced last August.
Adam Davison, vice-president of EMEA sales at Expand, told CRN: “This acquisition cements our position in the WAN-optimisation market. We are now more of a one-stop shop for resellers. They will not have to skill-up with lots of vendors.”
Davison said one of the key advantages Expand will have over rivals when integrating the DiskSites acquisition is the OEM agreement, which has been running since last year.
“When [rival] Packeteer acquired Tacit Networks, it did so based on what we have launched in our platform,” he claimed. “We did the OEM agreement with DiskSites a long time ago, and its technology is already integrated into our platform. It will take 18 months for Packeteer to integrate.”
Davison added that its channel will benefit from a price reduction on DiskSites technology. “We can decide how we price the DiskSites technology, which allows us to move into the SME market,” he said. “This means increased margin for the channel.”
Amir Shaked, chief executive of DiskSites, said: “Our customers understand that for WAFS to realise its full potential, it must be part of an integrated approach, leveraging the benefits of WAN-optimisation technologies.”