MSSP Looks To Cisco VARs For Growth

The Atlanta-based company last week launched a program specifically for Cisco Systems partners that is designed to help them sell Cisco security products as well as SecureWorks& managed services, said Tyler Winkler, vice president of sales at SecureWorks.

As a designated MSSP advanced technology partner of Cisco, SecureWorks knew that it had to create a different program to attract Cisco VARs, Winkler said. “A lot of MSSPs have programs that let VARs sell their services instead of selling products,” he said. “Our goal is to help the VARs sell more equipment.”

SecureWorks& new program includes up-front commissions and residual payments, enhanced training and certification on its services, a partner site with ROI calculators and a quoting system, Winkler said.

The MSSP&s services include 24x7 threat monitoring, regular vulnerability scanning and comprehensive client reports, in addition to monitoring and managing security devices.

With 1,300 current customers and a compound annual growth rate of 1,100 percent over the past three years, SecureWorks has grown largely through direct sales and referrals from consultants until recently, Winkler said.

To further penetrate the SMB market, the company hopes to recruit about 75 Cisco VARs across the country to represent its services, he said.

One of the first such companies to join SecureWorks& program is solution provider DSCI. SecureWorks& program appealed to the Lexington, Mass.-based company more than other MSSP programs because DSCI can resell the services under its own brand, said Jonathan Faville, senior program manager for IT services at the company.

“We don&t serve as agents or as lead generators for them,” Faville said. “We do the selling. We do the billing. We own the relationship. It&s the best of both worlds.”