McAfee turns attention to SMBs

Vendor lures SMB-specialist partners with deal registration carrot

McAfee has launched its first SMB partner specialisation to help it grab a larger slice of the sub-250 market.

All existing McAfee Security Alliance partners have been invited to register for PARC [partner accelerator resource centre] - the online hub that underpins the new accreditation.

The badge will net them access to SMB deal registration discounts and marketing and training resources.

David Small, vice president of channel and commercial business EMEA at the security vendor, said the move would demonstrate McAfee's commitment to SMB.

"Our technology is first class but until now we have lacked a serious focus on this segment," he said.

"By recognising partners as specialists in this area and providing them with tools, marketing kits and enhanced margin, there is a massive opportunity for us to get focus."

The strategy is in line with chief executive Dave DeWalt's desire to grow McAfee's SMB and midmarket revenues to rival the size of its consumer and enterprise businesses.

Small said that the introduction of SMB deal registration would make a real difference as McAfee's generic deal registration excludes smaller deals. The margins available to resellers will be set by McAfee's three UK distributors Ingram Micro, Tech Data and Arrow ECS.

Small was tight-lipped on McAfee's product roadmap under new owner Intel and claimed the deal had had no real impact on partners. "The only visible change is that we slightly changed our quarter end to fit with Intel's," he said.

Martin Hellawell, managing director of McAfee VAR Softcat said: "All these specialisations tend to be a bit tedious and are extra hassle but this is a bit of the market we are heavily involved in and no doubt we will be going for it."