Arbor divides up partners in channel programme shake-up

DDoS mitigation vendor claims four-tier scheme will mean partners receive more tailored support

DDoS mitigation vendor Arbor Networks is restructuring its partner progamme in the hope of driving more business through its VARs.

The vendor, which landed in Europe at the start of last year, created a two-tier route to market in the region and appointed distributor Exclusive Networks in order to recruit a wave of VARs to its Advantage Partner Programme.

In the next stage of its growth, Arbor has divided its channel partners into four levels - Authorised, Advantage, Premier and Elite - in order to provide more tailored products related to each firm's business models.

The company claims the move will help ramp up partners' business by enabling them to differentiate themselves in the market based on their capabilities and investments with the vendor. For each tier, partners are offered various deal registration, marketing, sales and technical training and lead referral incentives.

Arbor claims that revenue through its partner programme has grown at 30 per cent annually since it was established in 2011.

The vendor's vice president of partners and alliances Bill Lipsin said the increasingly advanced security landscape means partners have more opportunity to sell than ever.

"Our flexible programme model is win-win for our partners to [be able to] address the ever-changing landscape of advanced security threats and capitalise on these market opportunities," he added.

"A successful channel programme requires several elements to help drive the overall success - the most important are a compelling solution and large market opportunity that provides the ability for a partner to grow and to financially prosper. Arbor has both."

DDOS attacks have become increasingly more prevalent of late, with reports last week claiming that the biggest attack of its kind slowed the entire internet down. Last year, research claimed that DDoS attacks cost US businesses an average of $3.5m (£2.2m) a year.