Palo Alto Networks warns of lengthening channel lead times

Next-generation firewall unable to meet standard two-week guarantee on orders, according to email sent to partners today

Palo Alto Networks' UK partners have been told to expect lead times to double as the next-generation firewall vendor works through an unexpectedly high volume of orders.

Distributor Exclusive Networks emailed resellers on behalf of the vendor today informing them that order times could be up to four weeks for orders closed recently and over the next two to three weeks.

This is double the standard two-week lead time to which it normally commits.

Russell Barley, founder of Palo Alto Gold partner Prodec Networks, was confident the development would cause few customer issues.

"We sell a lot of Cisco kit and often the lead times are six to eight weeks, so this doesn't seem out of the ordinary to us," he said.

"We find the best way to sell Palo Alto is on a technical basis, so we buy a lot of demo products we then lend to customers. We've got four 3020s in stock right now, for instance. If lead times are four weeks we can just leave the demo products in there. We are aware there are some delays and what I'd say to customers is we will deal with it as and when it becomes an issue."

Demand for Palo Alto's wares show no sign of abating, with revenues at the vendor shooting up 50 per cent year on year to $192.3m (£126.6m) in its most recent quarter ending 31 October 2014.

Although Palo Alto declined to comment further, sources close to the vendor were under the impression it may also be struggling with some short-term supply-chain issues.

In the email to partners, seen by CRN, Exclusive Networks urged resellers to communicate with its own staff and Palo Alto channel and sales managers to minimise any issues.

"Please work closely with them throughout the sales cycle in order to provide the latest information as far as expected purchase order receipt date and customer expectations for product receipt [are concerned]," it said.