Infotronics has become the first local distributor for SSL VPN vendor, Aventail. Infotronics channel manager, Michael Crocombe, said it had not previously stocked any SSL VPN gear. He said the distributor's appointment was part of Aventail's plan to transition from direct, ad-hoc reseller relationships to a two-tier channel model.
"Up until now, Aventail has worked with resellers on proof of concept, then rolled out solutions on a project basis," he said. "Aventail globally is restructuring to enable the channel to order and install.
"Our job is to educate resellers about where these products fit, how to price and position them and where the opportunities are."
Crocombe said it would aim the remote access products at the large systems integrators such as Data#3 and Commander. Aventail's customer sweet spot was medium to large enterprises and government, he said, where legacy equipment and remote access was a key issue.
"Most of our customers have typically been Aventail customers. We spend a lot of time working with the larger systems integrators - having Aventail as an additional product will be a nice marriage for them," he said.
Aventail plans to roll out a formal partner program locally. To qualify, resellers need to have a certified sales person and technical engineer on-staff.
"A lot of Aventail product isn't overly technical; the issue is getting your head around where SSL VPN fits within network architecture to make it run," Crocombe said.
Infotronics' appointment follows SonicWall's $US25 million acquisition of Aventail earlier this month. Crocombe said local staff had confirmed it was business as usual for the foreseeable future. He predicted it would be some time before the companies combined product roadmaps.
"In the longer term, I think we'll see the Aventail product set grow with some of the lower end products from SonicWall," he said. "But the way SonicWall and Aventail are sold in this country is completely different. Aventail needs a value-added distributor, not a just-in-time one.
"Whatever happens, it is exciting for us - we could wind up with more SonicWall product. But we are committed to high value product."
SonicWall is distributed locally by Ingram Micro and Lan 1.
