Fortinet and Computerlinks in UK talks

Channel whispers suggest duo will strike up partnership focused on Computerlinks' BT relationship

Fortinet is on the verge of inking a UK distribution agreement with Computerlinks to help it get closer to BT, ChannelWeb understands.

After recently parting company with long-time ally VCW, Fortinet currently has three UK distributors: VADition, Exclusive Networks and Avnet.

However, channel sources suggest the network security vendor is close to agreeing a partnership with Computerlinks which will centre on the distributor's relationship with BT. The pair already partner in several continental European territories.

David Caughtry, director of core technology at Computerlinks, stressed that nothing has been signed at this stage.

"We do have Fortinet in the group elsewhere, and there are conversations going on all the time with our vendors," said Caughtry. "We may have had conversations at a group level about helping Fortinet in certain accounts, but there is nothing to announce at this stage."

Distribution sources said they understood the relationship would focus purely on BT and that the relationship is being driven from outside of the UK.

This would mirror Computerlinks' relationship with security giant McAfee, which recently signed up the distributor purely to service its agreement with BT.

Fortinet could not be reached for comment as this article went to press.