BorderWare Update Focuses On Compliance

At the same time, the vendor also is revamping its partner program in efforts to streamline its channel strategy and focus on top-level solution providers.

With the latest version of its e-mail firewall, MXtreme 6.0, BorderWare is rolling out its MXtreme Privacy Engine, a collection of content management and encryption features. Capabilities include advanced e-mail filter rules, deep content inspection for e-mail messages and attachments, and support for multiple compliance dictionaries. “If an e-mail contains a Social Security number, we can pick that out and encrypt it,” said Andrew Graydon, CTO at BorderWare, Mississauga, Ontario.

The new features enable partners to move beyond commonplace antispam offerings into solutions that help customers tackle regulatory compliance, a problem many of them are facing. “It&'s a losing battle to sell antispam [products], but when you try to sell something that meets a new need, something that not a lot of others have, it gets a lot easier,” said Octavio Diaz, infrastructure manager at International Integrated Solutions, a BorderWare partner in Plainview, N.Y.

In most cases, discussions about compliance solutions quickly capture top executives&' attention, Diaz said. “You mention the word ‘compliance,&' and all of a sudden, you have the CIO&'s or the CTO&'s ear,” he said.

On the channel front, BorderWare is restructuring its partner program by creating three partner levels—Silver, Gold and Platinum—and adding new joint business planning and quarterly business reviews with top partners. Previously, partners were divided into six categories.

The company also has stopped direct sales, said Tim Leisman, president and CEO of BorderWare. Previously, the company sold 20 percent direct, he said. “We can&'t give a confusing message to [our partners].”

With the new program, BorderWare is trying to foster tighter partnerships with its channel and build loyalty among its partner base, he said. “We have to get to a point where BorderWare contributes at least 10 percent of their overall business,” he said.

BorderWare&'s new focus on joint business planning encourages its partners to give the vendor more consideration, Diaz said. “Now they&'re forcing us to focus on opportunities and build a pipeline,” he said. As a result, Diaz expects to grow BorderWare sales by 70 percent to 80 percent over the next year.