Infoblox kicks off channel marketing assault

DDI vendor throws marketing cash at partners in wake of its $120m IPO

Flush from its recent initial public offering, network management vendor Infoblox has launched a channel marketing push to help its partners become more self-sufficient.

According to analyst Gartner, Infoblox commands roughly 40 per cent of a global DDI [DNS, DHCP and IPAM] market set to grow by 29 per cent this year to $380m (£240m).

The Californian vendor also makes network automation tools.

Having raised $120m from its stock market debut in April, Infoblox is pumping more cash into its channel marketing efforts in a bid to raise the percentage of projects initiated by partners, which include Xchanging, Accumuli, Didata and Pervasive in the UK.

Currently, its direct-touch team generates 60 per cent of projects, but the goal is to reduce this to 25 per cent, said vice president of EMEA sales Dirk Marichal.

Under its new marketing push, partners will receive marketing tools and collateral relating to five project types which Infoblox claims its network automation tools can facilitate: datacentre consolidation, virtualisation, IP management, cloud computing and bring your own device.

Infoblox claims it is now ploughing 75-80 per cent of its total marketing budget into the channel, with tools on offer to partners including call scripts, introductory videos and battle cards.

"Partners realise they can increase their margins by introducing Infoblox, as they can sell professional services, consultancy, maintenance and upgrades and that's where the margin is. It is not in selling boxes any more," Marichal said.

The DDI market grew by more than a third last year, according to Gartner, and Marichal said customers are waking up to the fact they have neglected their core network infrastructure in favour of investing in firewalls, routers and switches.

He listed BT Diamond and Microsoft among Infoblox's core competitors, with BlueCat Networks, Alcatel-Lucent and EfficientIP among the other vendors operating in the DDI space.

The marketing push follows the launch of Infoblox's new Invest & Profit partner programme in February.

Marichal said the IPO funds would be used for a combination of accelerating investment in engineering, sales and marketing and potential acquisitions.

Matthew Pearson, UK and Ireland sales manager at BlueCat, said Infoblox's investment in the EMEA channel was an indicator of the IPAM market's strength.

"Today, the growth of IP-dependent devices is greater than at any point in history, and this is creating a growing opportunity for resellers and distributors of our IPAM technology," he said.