Zycko encourages resellers to certify as Fortimail Specialists

Zycko, an international distributor of storage, IP telephony and networking products, is promoting the Fortinet Partner Programme to its resellers, encouraging them to obtain Fortimail certification and reap the benefits that this certification delivers.

Zycko was awarded the rights to distribute Fortinet products at the end of 2008. To ensure its resellers have insight into how to position the product, as well as the technical and sales know-how around the product offering, Zycko will give its resellers the opportunity to obtain certification on the Fortimail solution to qualify as a Fortimail Specialist.

The Fortinet Partner Programme is made up of several tiers, including Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Fortimail Specialist. Resellers are required to comply with certain requirements in terms of sales and technical resources in order for them to qualify as a Fortimail Specialist.

Says Amy Thomas, Fortinet Product Manager at Zycko: "Resellers can benefit significantly from the Fortimail Specialist certification, allowing them to qualify for competitive pricing, which ultimately means better margins."

"The additional skills will also equip our resellers to tackle new markets with this offering, allowing them to diversify their revenue streams by creating access to a segment of the market that has historically been restricted to a few vendors.

Says Perry Hutton, Fortinet Regional Manager for sub-Saharan Africa: "Fortimail is approaching the maturity level on the development curve, making it an ideal security solution for our FortiPartners to take to market. Being one of our key areas of growth, the investment in Fortimail research and development is also delivering key differentiators that make the solution extremely attractive to resellers and their end-user customers."

Adds Thomas: "For example, Fortmail's unlimited licensing model provides resellers with an edge. Many end-user organisations are scrutinising their spend and Fortimail's model offers the cost benefit of licence fees irrespective of the number of seats. Additionally, the bi-directional spam protection not only protects users from incoming spam but also malicious outgoing spam that is generated from within the network, thus preventing the company domain from being blacklisted."

End-users will benefit from certified resellers, as they can be sure these resellers will have the knowledge and skills to be able to support the product, meaning they will be sure of getting added value instead of just having a box dropped off with no further support.

Adds Hutton: "We sell security solutions. The certification procedure means added value not only for resellers but for the end-user as well, as we can ensure resellers of our products have the technical and sales skills necessary to fully support the process and provide the right solutions to their clients."

Thomas concludes: "With e-mail, security is always a major concern for business, as malicious attacks through e-mail channels are constantly on the increase, it is more important than ever to ensure an organisation has the best security solutions available. Through Fortimail Specialist certification, Fortinet is reaffirming its commitment to providing resellers, and ultimately end-users, with comprehensive solutions delivered by qualified, certified and knowledgeable professionals."