Untangle Inc., an open source network threat management solution provider based in San Mateo, Calif., plans to expand its regional footprint by establishing a VAR and MSP network base in Canada.
Previously users outside of the U.S. had to contact Untangle directly if they were interested in a particular solution. Now, with plans to open up shop in Canada, end-users will be able to contact partners in Canada for requests.
While no Canadian partners have signed with Untangle yet, Chris Sterbenc, vice-president of sales at Untangle, said the company’s open source network security gateway solutions have already sparked a lot of interest in the reseller market.
“We’ve got about a dozen [Canadian partners] evaluating the product now,” Sterbenc said. “We’re looking to get our partners signed up by the end of this quarter. With our VAR dealer network we’ll look to do about 20 to 30 partnerships across Canada. We’re also looking for MSPs in Canada and we’d like to bring them on board with us too.”
Last month, the company announced the release of its Untangle Gateway Platform, a commercial-grade open source network security gateway solution designed for SMBs offering protection against spam, spyware, viruses, adware and any other unwanted data on the network. Because it works off an open source, the company said it offers more flexibility at lower cost.
Untangle said it feels there’s a demand in the Canadian marketplace for these solutions it’s just a matter of time until customers will become aware that these solutions exist.
“The primary criteria that we look for (in partners) are those who are focused on the SMB market with typically 300 or less employees,” Sterbenc said. “We’re really popular in the one to 10 sized small business areas too.”
When asked about its strategy to get solutions out to market, Sterbenc said developing a reseller program in Canada is key.
“We will start a conversation with the reseller,” Sterbenc said. “And if it sounds like a good fit with us we’ll let them evaluate the product. We also offer technical support and marketing plans to our partners. Typically what we do is we’ll talk to the VAR and find out what elements of the product they need to be trained on and we cater those sessions to them.”
While still in the process of making a strong name and presence for itself in Canada, Sterbenc says Untangle expects to grow its partner base with the help of its attractive reseller margins that lie anywhere between 25 to 35 points based on volume.
“As the business grows, we’ll probably open up facilities in Toronto,” Sterbenc said. “We’re very excited to have a presence in Canada and we can’t wait to get our Canadian program up and running.”
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