Ericom reignites distribution as it targets Citrix and Dell

Desktop virtualisation vendor aiming to double UK partner base after appointing Actual Virtual

Ericom has appointed its first UK distributor in three years as it looks to seize on opportunities stemming from end-of-life announcements from larger desktop virtualisation competitors.

The digital virtualisation specialist has inked a partnership with Actual Virtual three years after parting ways with previous distributor Computerlinks following its acquisition by Arrow.

Ericom has decided to re-embrace distribution because "the market is right", said Danny Miller, director of product marketing at Ericom.

"The market is right now. There is really a lot of traction in the market. With Citrix announcing an end of life for version 6.5 of their desktop virtualisation product and Dell announcing that they are ceasing to further develop their vWorkspace product, this really drives opportunity in the market," he said.

"We already have a local office in the UK and we felt it was time for us to really raise the bar. We felt that our existing network of partners needed somebody who could take it to the next level. Actual Virtual know a lot about distribution and they relate closely to what we do. So they felt like a natural connection to help us hammer out these relationships."

The New Jersey-based vendor was founded in 2003 and specialises in allowing users access to desktops and applications when they are remote working or away from their desk.

Actual Virtual is a specialist desktop virtualisation distributor. Its managing director Simon Greer (pictured) said that Ericom was a perfect match because its products fit well with the products and solutions the distributor already carries.

"Ericom have technology that is pushing the boundaries, but they are not necessarily as dominant in the market as some of the big players. We feel there is a lot of room to gain some traction," he added.

"We know our partners are looking for ways they can deliver applications and desktops to their users. A lot of solutions around at the minute either over-complicate things or are too expensive. Ericom directly addresses those issues and provides a cost-effective but very comprehensive way of delivering desktops and applications."

The vendor currently has between 35 and 40 partners in the UK, and Greer said Actual Virtual is hoping to have doubled this in two years' time.

"We are interested in proactive partners who have a vest interest in providing customers with these types of solutions," he explained. "We aren't looking to partner with every man and his dog; we want focused partners."

The Guru Group has been an Actual Virtual partner for around a year, and is poised to enter into an agreement with Ericom to sell its products.

The VAR's managing director John Henderson said: "We were exploring a different product in this sector but it was difficult to get any engagement with it. When we were introduced to Ericom, the product was more suited to what we are trying to deliver, from our stance as an MSP and VAR, and also from the requirements of our end customers.

"Ericom might find [competing with Citrix and VMware] tough going to begin with, but once the name gets out there I think they will find it very easy to display. Citrix are a big mainstream organisation currently, but we pick up a lot of work replacing Citrix's on-premise solutions anyway. All my customers that have dealt with Citrix are always looking for an alternative after having been burned in one way or another."