Security channel sceptical about Cisco's Sourcefire buy

Channel concerned that security specialists will not fit in with Cisco's ‘stack it high, sell it cheap' mentality

Sourcefire resellers could end up getting less focus and support and defecting to other vendors, according to some channel onlookers who have raised eyebrows in reaction to the vendor's recent buyout.

Cisco announced a $2.7bn (£1.76bn) takeover earlier this week, and insisted the duo share a similar vision. But some have suggested the security vendor's channel will be swallowed up in the takeover.

Jonathan Lassman, director of casual Sourcefire partner Network Technology Solutions, said he did not think the two were a good fit.

"Cisco has a habit – as does Symantec – of buying companies then making it incredibly difficult for security specialists to deal with," he said.

"[Cisco's channel] is geared towards low-margin, fast, transactional business. That is not what [security resellers are] geared up to do. It is specialist technology and applying a ‘stack it high, sell it cheap' mentally is not good for specialists in general.

"There are hundreds of thousands of Cisco partners in the world and you can count on four hands the number of good security resellers in UK. We are of no interest to Cisco, and we won't get the focus we require to do business."

Exclusive Networks' group marketing director Barrie Desmond agreed.

"It's great news for shareholders but bad for Sourcefire partners. As a standalone intrusion-prevention system it is good technology, but it needed to be sold and not ordered," he said.

"Sourcefire partners were sellers, not order takers, so as soon as that goes on [Cisco's] global price list, it opens it up so the value is depleted. It is good news for people such as Palo Alto, Fortinet and Juniper as now the loyal [Sourcefire] channel will need a replacement because they will not be able to compete with Cisco."

Ian Kilpatrick, managing director of security distie Wick Hill, said: "It will be interesting to see if [Cisco] can make a success of the takeover. Sourcefire is a major player, and this will really change the market dynamic."

Cisco said in a statement: "After the close of the acquisition, Cisco will provide clarity on the integration and go-to-market plan."