Barracuda fishes for backup partners

Newly promoted UK boss makes overtures to storage channel

Barracuda Networks' newly promoted UK boss is reaching out to the storage channel as the vendor strives to move further from its roots as an anti-spam specialist.

Barracuda acquired its way into the backup market in 2008 and recently recruited EMC's backup and recovery head, BJ Jenkins, as its chief executive.

UK and Ireland regional sales director Jason Howells, who was recently promoted from the role of country manager, said backup is the fastest-growing product in Barracuda's history but that its channel is still made up primarily of security-focused VARs.

"We have been working with [existing partners] for the past couple of years to help them understand they can also offer a storage solution as part of a security offering," he said.

"They are doing a fantastic job but we are also interested in recruiting new resellers. The thing we have not done to date is talk to storage resellers and this is something we will do in 2013."

Howells claimed Barracuda has something different to offer EMC and Symantec backup resellers.

"We always look to simplify IT and continue to try to do that with backup product," he said.

"The software, hardware and management are all contained in one place, which makes it as easy as possible for people to deploy and purchase. There are no per-user fees associated with it."

Howells insisted that Barracuda's backup products scale from SMB to large enterprise, highlighting a recent UK-based deal that saw the vendor deploy backup appliances at 15 sites worldwide.

"We are looking for partners that have reach into all sorts of organisations," Howells said. "They have to be enthusiastic about working with a vendor that can not only offer a storage solution but also help them find incremental business with our security portfolio."