Crossbeam Aims To Nab Nokia VARs

Firewall vendor Crossbeam Systems has unveiled an informal rebate program to entice resellers to switch customers from Nokia PC-based firewall solutions to Crossbeam appliances.

The program, which launched April 1 and runs through June 1, gives Nokia channel partners the chance to earn up to $8,000 per customer for each conversion to Crossbeam.

The rebate strategy was developed to broaden Crossbeam's presence in the market, said Peter George, president and CEO of Crossbeam. The Concord, Mass.-based company provides integrated security solutions in standalone, chassis-based forms. "We want to help our partners help customers move to the next phase of their security strategies," he said. "With all of the latest viruses and security breaches, being on a PC-based [security] solution is no longer sufficient."

Resellers will receive $2,000 for every IP330, $4,000 for every IP440, $6,000 for every IP530, and $8,000 for every IP650. The rebates are above and beyond the standard discounts Crossbeam offers channel partners, which hover around 25 percent.

Reaction to the rebates among solution providers was mixed.

Daniel Michaels, regional manager at Nokia channel partner True North Solutions, Herndon, Va., said he was skeptical the rebate would make much difference. While Michaels admitted that Crossbeam offers superior technology, he said he probably won't buy into the rebate because the Nokia technology enables him to charge customers support fees for every single firewall they buy. "With Nokia, customers have to buy support on every single box," he said. "With Crossbeam, I can only charge support once, not for every instance of a firewall."

Bill Calderwood, president of The Root Group, Boulder, Colo., was more enthusiastic. He described the money he earns from supporting Nokia firewalls as "negligible" and said that if the Crossbeam products are cheaper for his customers, he would most likely put in the effort to entice them to switch.

"We've certainly seen a lot of customers for whom price is king," Calderwood said. "If the price is right, the rebate is a good incentive to get companies like mine interested in making Crossbeam more of a priority."