Exinda squares up to big boys with crack partner team

WAN optimisation player slows recruitment after claiming raft of new partners and meaty contract wins

Exinda has claimed it is wresting business and partners away from big-name rivals, after meeting its partner recruitment targets four months after the launch of its revamped channel programme.

The WAN optimisation outfit also stressed that Exclusive Networks will remain its sole UK distributor after signing Computerlinks as a partner in the Middle East.

Exinda launched its top-tier Platinum partner scheme in November and has now more or less reached its initial targets of recruiting about 10 VARs at this level and another 15-20 at Gold level.

EMEA vice president of sales Adam Davison said: "The priority now is to continue to enable the partners that have committed to us. We want to elevate as many of our gold partners up [to Platinum]. If the pipeline grows, we will look to continue to add partners."

Ideal partners would come from an "application-aware networking" background, claimed Davison, boasting expertise in technology from vendors such as Layer 7, Palo Alto, F5, Arista and A10. The Exinda man added that partners with backgrounds in network-adjacent markets, including storage and VoIP, would also be of interest.

Davison claimed the "granular" approach of his firm's technology sets it apart from rivals. He added that many other vendors are putting a margin squeeze on the channel.

"We can protect the video, protect the voice. We can see if the CEO is making a call and that that should be a priority," he added. "We have displaced the brand leaders in significant networks in some big refreshes. They have seen the significant value that Exinda can bring to the table.

"The feedback we get is that [rivals] are reducing pricing and squeezing the margin out of the channel. They are sharing some of the pain, but not all of it."

Exinda also recently expanded its channel in the Middle East, with the addition of Computerlinks to its distribution stable. But Davison (pictured) insisted that a sole-distributor model will remain in place in the UK.

"Exclusive Networks are our distribution partner in the UK; they do an outstanding job for us," he explained. "There is absolutely no reason why we would want to disrupt a distribution relationship that is working."