The Middle East operation of RSA, The Security Division of EMC, today announced its intention to double the number of partners it works with in the Middle East region, as it extends its sales and operations network to more fully support the data protection aims of its customer base in the region.
Recruitment of new channel partners in significant markets such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Egypt are key objectives for RSA in the run-up to and during GITEX 2007. A critical element of RSA’s role at the exhibition includes updating Middle East-based partners about the company’s new channel initiatives, including:
• RSA SecurWorld Rewards, one of the first card-based reward schemes in the security industry, which has been expanded to allow channel partners across the Middle East to apply for company-wide as well as individual Visa debit cards. All participating resellers in the Rewards program are entitled to double rewards until the end of 2007. Partners can earn $200 for a new RSA SecurID license, $250 for an RSA SecurID Appliance (including the Appliance 100) and $500 for new RSA enVision license/appliance.
• A new category has been added to the RSA SecurWorld Partner Program for RSA distributors, designed to reward performance and new business generation. RSA has allocated additional investment for distributors to support new partner recruitment and programs including education and training, market awareness and demand generation.
• RSA has more than doubled the marketing funds available for both independent and jointly held marketing activities for its partners.
Miles Rippon, Channels Director, EMEA at RSA said “2006 was a landmark year for RSA’s channel business in the Middle East, with a 29% growth in the number of our regional partners, 105% revenue growth achieved, and hundreds of regional customers upgraded. 2007 is set to be even more successful and we aim to increase our partners by 50% in the Middle East during the next 12 months. As more products become available through the channel, RSA is increasing opportunities to offer businesses a more comprehensive security solution.”
During GITEX, RSA will be meeting its channel partners to showcase recent product additions to its channel portfolio, including:
• RSA Database & File Security Manager– provides a rapidly deployed, easy to manage solution for encrypting heterogeneous database and file systems.
• RSA Key Manager – The first shipping enterprise key management system that delivers a central policy-based mechanism for managing the complete lifecycle of encryption keys.
• RSA enVision - painlessly transforms raw, seemingly unrelated security and network events into meaningful intelligence, reducing stress for IT staff, increasing security personnel effectiveness and providing ongoing support to the ever increasing number of compliance regulations.
• RSA Access Manager – facilitates seamless scalable integration within complex ebusiness infrastructures to open up resources to authenticated users while protecting sensitive resources against unauthorised users.
• RSA SecurID Appliance 100 – industry leading two-factor authentication for SMBs to securely identify users accessing network resources in a cost effective, simple plug and play format.
With a lack of training opportunities and security knowledge among the challenges facing the growth of the Middle East’s enterprise security industry, RSA is keen to support regional partners in developing the expertise required for the successful sale and implementation of the products. Increased certification, and rewarding and incentivizing those partners in the Middle East who contribute most to helping RSA grow its business, are among the key topics that RSA will be discussing with its regional channel partners at GITEX.
“The requirements for information security in the Middle East region have changed considerably over the last few years. Companies’ investments in securing their network perimeter has done a reasonable job of protecting core business systems, but this approach does not take into account the way that information flows in, out and through regional organisations. Increased employee access to information on PDAs, smart phones and laptops, and the need to share information outside the network with customers, suppliers and partners, has fundamentally changed the Middle East’s enterprise security landscape. RSA is utiltizing GITEX and beyond to enhance our regional partners’ understanding of how they can capitalise on the market opportunities for information-centric security to protect customers’ data, irrespective of where it resides.”
