NetScreen Taking On Midmarket With New Channel Programs, New Line Of Products

The security vendor says its midmarket push is spurred by feedback from partners who want solutions tailored more for midsize enterprises -- companies with 100 to 1,000 employees -- as well as results from a study by AMI Partners, New York.

The AMI survey found that two-thirds of all U.S. midsize businesses consider it important to increase network security. The survey also found that 23 percent of midsize businesses do not have a VPN solution, and 17 percent do not have a network firewall solution.

"There are 105,000 midsize businesses in the U.S. alone, with a compounded annual growth rate of 33 percent," said Steve Pataky, global business manager, medium enterprise, NetScreen, Sunnyvale, Calif. "Their security needs as a result of remote access and expanded Internet use are increasing their IT security needs and pushing them to rely on the channel since they don't have the IT resources of an enterprise."

Several new channel components have been added to support partners targeting this market, including midsize enterprise sales and training modules, a resource site with tools and specifically for partners in this space. The site details how to map NetScreen solution to the midmarket and gives advice on how to layer on additional services such as managed offerings.

A starter kit will also be available with marketing materials that the channel can customize and send out to customers. NetScreen is working closely with Ingram Micro to help get VARs started, said Pataky.

The company is also launching a new branding awareness campaign geared toward midsize businesses. "It's unrealistic to launch a medium enterprise initiative targeting 105,000 businesses and say with a straight face that we're going to generate a lot of leads for partners," said Pataky. "The best way for us to help them is to invest in the NetScreen brand to get the message out that the same enterprise solutions are now available for medium businesses at a price point designed for them."

Along with the new channel programs, NetScreen has released a new product line for the midmarket called Baseline, an entry-level firewall/VPN solution that removes some of the advanced features enterprises rely on but midsize businesses do not necessarily need, he said.

The company is using the same ScreenOS 5.0, its homegrown operating system used in its enterprise product line. It has removed such features as advanced routing capabilities, deep inspection and VLAN support.

Every Baseline product is upgradable to advanced features via a licensing key for activation.

Baseline does not cover NetScreen's entire product line. The following products will be available as Baseline products: NetScreen Firewall/VPN appliances 25, 50, 204, 208 and 500. Pricing for the NetScreen 25 starts at $2,795, with one year of support costing an additional $480.