Pervasive buys assets of belly-up VAR Assurix

Continuity of support to Assurix's customers is top priority, says Pervasive's managing director

Pervasive Networks has rescued fallen security VAR Assurix from administration, ChannelWeb can reveal.

Pervasive's subsidiary, Pervasive Security, bought the assets of the Check Point and Trustwave partner on 6 November, the same day it entered administration.

The deal, which Pervasive said would boost its turnover to more than £14m and headcount to 40, includes all Assurix's customer contracts and the TUPE of staff, although ChannelWeb understands that Assurix managing director David Lannin and technical director Adrian Bishop have already moved on.

Ashley Langley, managing director of Pervasive, said the integration of Assurix's operations and support functions would be straightforward due to Assurix's small size and the fact both firms have functions centred in Newbury.

"Our primary objective is to reassure our new customers that their service will not be disrupted and that as a customer to Pervasive they have a partner who is financially stable, already understands security and wants to invest in and build on the Assurix skills and partnerships," he said.

Pervasive specialises in network, mobility and security managed services, working with vendors including Arbor Networks, Fortinet and HP TippingPoint. Accredited to ISO 27001 Information Security and ISO 20000 Service Management standards, the VAR offers a 24/7 services function with nationwide coverage.

A Check Point Gold partner, Assurix also works with Blue Coat, Cisco Ironport, Trustwave and SecureEnvoy.

Its administration was handled by Chantrey Vellacott.

Langley urged business as usual for Assurix clients.

"Assurix customers should call into Assurix as they do currently and expect the services they receive as normal," he said. "We are attempting to talk and meet with all our new customers as quickly as we can and encourage them to call us if we have not managed to speak already."

Ian Kilpatrick, chairman of distributor Wick Hill, said: "They are a company with a very strong technical reputation. It is a great shame that they are another victim of the recession."

Assurix's insolvency follows that of fellow security VAR Chameleon in May and Jonathan Lassman, managing director of Check Point partner NTS, expressed surprise that the market had claimed another victim.

"It is a shame another one has hit the wall in a time when the security industry is so buoyant," he said.