ServGate Partners With IGS To Offer Managed Security

The partnership is aimed at all existing customers of ServGate's EdgeForce system, and will enable partners to upsell monthly vulnerability management and analysis, as well as gain access to the entire spectrum of IBM's incident management services.

"Those three letters,I-B-M,make ServGate very strong," said Bob Venero, president and CEO of Future Tech Enterprise, Holbrook, N.Y. "IBM doesn't take these agreements lightly, and when they put their name to something, it's generally something that's tried, true and tested."

Not all channel partners, however, were convinced that the IBM deal would mean more money for them.

Don Norton, director of professional services at Lewan and Associates, Denver, said that with IBM Global Services in the mix, the "jury is out" on how much business will stay with ServGate partners.

"On paper, this is a good move, but it really is a double-edged sword," Norton said. "Depending on how much [IGS] owns of the services aspect, it could take away from my security practice significantly."

Specifically, the deal includes access to a host of services in IGS' Managed Security Services division. The partnership also will feature a series of cobranded regional events conducted by IBM security experts to train ServGate channel partners in the latest techniques for defending against malicious exploits and bolstering network security.

"This deal enables our partners to tell their customers that if EdgeForce doesn't cover your problem, we've got IBM available to help get you there," said Atchison Frazer, vice president of marketing at ServGate, Milpitas, Calif.