Carbonite exec on Webroot acquisition: 'It opens up MSP partners to us'

CMO Norman Guadagno speaks to CRN about the rationale behind the purchase and what partners can expect from the merger

Carbonite's acquisition of Webroot opens it up to a new retinue of partners, according to Carbonite CMO Norman Guadagno.

It was revealed in February that backup and data recovery specialist Carbonite had purchased cybersecurity vendor Webroot for $618.5m (£470.7m). The deal closed last week.

Guadagno explained that Webroot's partner base mainly comprises MSPs, while Carbonite works primarily with VARs, but this move allows both vendors' respective partner sets to play in new areas.

"Webroot has been very successful with MSP partners across the globe, and that is an area that Carbonite has not had a focus in, so that gives us the ability to go into those relationships and expand on them," he told CRN.

"The MSP side doesn't know Carbonite well and is eager to learn more, and the VARs understand Webroot but similarly have a different experience.

"Over the next few months and quarters, we want to make sure that we are fully educating both partner sets about the other company's products as we go out to market."

Guadagno emphasised that the merger does not change either company's current go-to-market strategy and that partners should view it as business as usual for the foreseeable future.

He added that there is no definitive plan as yet to bring together both sets of partner programmes or channels.

"We want partners to understand that we believe this is a win for everybody and we don't want to do anything to disturb the current go-to-market motion of Webroot's MSP channel or Carbonite's VAR channel while we are looking for opportunities for integration," he said.

"We are going to look for specific areas where we can leverage the other player. That may be through the channel, two channels, or it may be direct - that is something we are figuring out now."

Guadagno explained that the rationale for the acquisition was that Carbonite saw the potential to shore up customers' data more by providing end-point security.

"Carbonite has built a strong business around protecting data through backup and recovery, but we've always seen that there is another part to that threat, which is the inbound attacks on those end-points," he said.

"We saw this as an opportunity to do two things: to serve the needs of those customers that are looking for a complete approach to end-point protection, and to reshape the market a little bit around data protection and cybersecurity.

"We believe a single vendor targeting the overall mid-market and partners in the MSP and VAR spaces could bring more value to the market.

"This is more of a consolidated and integrated approach to protecting our customer's data, which will ultimately give Carbonite more appeal to the buyer."

The merger also allows Carbonite to expand its presence in the SMB market, a space where the vendor sees ample opportunity to grow its overall business.

"That mid-market is the sweet spot where we can be a unique and differentiated offering with our partners as well as where we sell direct," the exec added.

The CMO was coy on whether the Webroot name would be folded into Carbonite's, saying only that Webroot would continue to be run as an independent business unit, headed by its former CFO John Post, who replaces outgoing boss Mike Potts.

The profile of competitor for each company will not change, but as a combined company there is no one rival that can provide the same level of protection, Guadagno added.

"I don't see a single vendor that can offer both sides of that equation, specifically to the mid-market and through our types of partners," he explained.

"I don't think there is one competitor that can tell the full story that we are telling right now, but it doesn't take away the need to continue to compete in those respective spaces against those companies we've competed against for some time."

Guadagno added that as the company plans its road map ahead, it remains committed to both channels and vowed to remain a partner-centric company, as well as being eager to hear from channel partners on how it can best help them going forward.

"Partners should see this acquisition as business as usual," he said.

"So go out and talk to the same people, go to the same partner portal and know that there are more benefits coming down the line."