MOCA Inks Deal with Network Associates

The agreement between the two companies allows solution providers to offer managed antivirus security services to customers without making investments in equipment, software and maintenance.

MOCA, the Sun Microsystems-focused division of Arrow Electronics, is offering McAfee's VirusScan ASaP, VirusScan Managed Service Upgrade and Managed Virus Defense. The services are managed via the Internet, according to Rich Severa, president of El Segundo-based MOCA.

"We've been trying to figure out how to get more partners to sell Network Associates' hardware and software in tough economic times without having to make a front-end investment," Severa said. "A lot of partners have tried to turn themselves into ASPs to attract business. This is a pass-through ASP offering, managed by the software vendor."

McAfee's VirusScan ASaP provides automatic data-file updates that allow users to focus on day-to-day operations, Severa said.

Antivirus solutions attract a wide swath of end users, so the distributor's program should benefit most solution providers, Severa said.

ANI Direct, a solution provider based in Dallas, has already been selling McAfee to its customers, many of which do not have the IT staff to effectively manage antivirus programs, said Brent Smith, president of ANI Direct. Customers can download and evaluate the software at a solution providers' Web site, which is actually a transparent link back to MOCA, Smith said.

"[These services remove the pain of managing the desktop," he said. "The return on investment is justified because of the time that's freed up for the SMB IT staff to take care of other issues. This can be less expensive than purchasing licenses and managing it yourself."

McAfee products have detected and cleaned more than 60 million infected files, according to Santa Clara, Calif.-based Network Associates.