Westcon adds IP security vendor to ConvergencePoint

US-based IP security vendor Sipera has taken its first step into EMEA by inking a global distribution pact with networking disti Westcon.

Sipera’s Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) firewall products will be offered as part of Westcon’s newly-launched ConvergencePoint programme, as well as being resold through Westcon Group subsidiaries Comstor and VodaOne.

Having only launched its first product in March, VC-backed Sipera sees netting an agreement with a disti of Westcon’s size as a ‘major coup’. Marketing director Brendan Ziolo says the duo will initially target Westcon resellers in the UK, Germany, France and Scandinavia.

65-strong Sipera also knows exactly what ilk of reseller it wants on board. ‘We’re working on rolling out to Westcon partners as we speak,’ says Ziolo. ‘We need resellers that are strong both in the VoIP market and security, so they understand how to piece the solution together. We’ve already defined a profile with Westcon and now we’re targeting resellers that fit the bill.’

Despite conceding that the deal will involve just small volumes at first, Westcon’s European security manager Bernie Dodwell is convinced Sipera’s products will provide the key for voice and security VARs looking to embrace the wider convergence market: ‘We’re not going to be selling shed-loads of Sipera’s products in the next three weeks as SIP is just emerging. But we can sell it to both the security and voice channel and it encourages each channel to cross sell into the other.

Sipera is backed to the hilt by VC lolly, recently scoring $13.5m (€11.1m) in a second round of funding headed by Sequoia Capital. ‘The major VC company behind Sipera is well known for backing winners,’ points out Dodwell.