Spyware is climbing the list of security concerns for the enterprise, and seeing opportunity in the Canadian SMB market anti-spyware vendor Webroot Software has tapped Ingram Micro Canada to help it expand its enterprise reach north of the border.
The alliance will see Ingram become the exclusive Canadian distributor for the Boulder, Co.-based company’s enterprise-focused anti-spyware applications, Webroot Spysweeper Enterprise and Webroot SME Security, modeled on the existing relationship between the two companies in the U.S. .
Michael Irwin, Webroot’s chief operating officer, said Webroot does compete with companies like Symantec, McAfee and Trend Micro but he said none of them offer Webroot’s dedicated focus to anti-spyware, making Webroot an incremental sale opportunity for VARs alongside the other offerings on their line cards. .
“One of the common misconceptions is that (anti-virus and anti-spyware are) pretty similar but in fact there are some pretty important differences, both in terms of the motivations of a spyware writer, how spyware propagates and what it does once it gets on your computer,” said Irwin. “The research techniques and the tools required in order to protect end-uses against that threat are significantly different.” .
Webroot will be working with Ingram to recruit Canadian channel partners and develop a marketing plan. Lili Bender, Webroot’s director of channel sales, said the vendor will be bringing its existing Channel Edge Partner Program to Canada. She notes Webroot has already been working with Canadian partners like Express Computers and Insight Canada. .
“We have about 50 partners currently, SMB-type VARs and trusted advisors we were working with directly,” said Bender. “We’ve migrated those guys over to Ingram Micro Canada and now we’re trying to grow our base.” .
The vendor’s partner program has two tiers: a Standard Reseller level and a Premium Reseller level. Both levels involve sales and technical certifications, and offer access to online Webinars and other tools and resources. In exchange for guaranteeing certain volume levels, Bender said premium resellers gain access to additional perks, such as deal registration and lead distribution. .
“It’s not just a broad-brush, bring everyone into the fold approach but making sure we can get the right partner set that can be productive,” said Bender. “Even though a partner might be selling McAfee, Symantec or Trend they can still sell our product with those products and have a pretty robust offering for their customers.” .
In addition to the software sale, Webroot also offers two tiers of ongoing support packages to enterprise customers through the channel and channel partners also receive ongoing incremental revenue through updates and definition subscription renewals. .
Andrea Clarke-Thompson, vendor business manager with Ingram Micro Canada, said Ingram has been successful working with Webroot in the U.S. and she’s confident that success can be mirrored in Canada, noting the growing concern around spyware in the enterprise. .
“Because Internet security is the second top concern for SMBs especially, and SMBs make up 90 per cent of the Canadian market, this is definitely an opportunity for (VARs) to sell another product in that category and touch more end users that are looking for other options,” said Clarke-Thompson. “There’s definitely an opportunity to take on another vendor in that category.” .
Webroot will release the next edition of its flagship enterprise application in July, and Irwin said in addition to an updated engine including the latest anti-spyware technology the new release also includes a major effort to address a key SMB concern: manageability. .
“Manageability will continue to be a theme that persists as IT managers get their hands around their internal IT environments,” said Irwin, noting most SMBs have limited IT resources. “We’ve incorporated a lot of Active Directory functionality and management and reporting capability that benefits end-users as they manage a large number of endpoints.” .
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