Symantec does a partner shuffle

Security vendor Symantec has shuffled the cards in its global partner program, re-categorising members and adding a spot for enterprise administration partners.

Stephanie Hicks, partner program manager for Symantec in south-east Asia and the Pacific region, said the old version of the partner program was focused more on partners' technical skills.

The new incarnation aimed to match technical specifications and categories to actual market segments, she said.

'Security Partners are going to be focused on larger enterprises and Solutions Partners will be in the SMB space,' Hicks said.

Symantec had retained its four existing categories but added a new one, Enterprise Administration Partners, for VARs selling security products that targeted large companies' network administration needs.

'We acquired some companies [globally], On Technology and PowerQuest, and now we are seeking new partners in this space for the Asia-Pacific,' Hicks said.

Enterprise Administration partners could be drawn from the ranks of 'traditional' resellers already selling Symantec but which the vendor hadn't previously had a formal relationship, she said.

However, the vendor was also seeking new partners, particularly in the large to medium enterprise, multiple-vendor integrator or professional services organisation spaces, Hicks said.

Enterprise Administration partners would need to have two Symantec-certified technicians instead of one, and two Symantec-certified Sales Specialists, she said.

Further details were still to be hammered out, Hicks said.

Volante Systems was one partner that had been re-categorised - from an Enterprise Solutions partner appellation to the Enterprise Security partner designation.

Ajoy Ghosh, security practice manager at Volante Systems, said the new system was an improvement. It would help Volante up its status as a security products and services provider, he said.

That goal was high in the company's sights long term, especially with the Ipex merger on the horizon, Ghosh said.

'The feedback that we're getting from customers is that this is a real differentiator,' he said.

Symantec had also begun offering Volante, as part of the new Enterprise Security categorisation, customised demonstration kits on demand to the reseller, Ghosh said.