Whale surfaces in the channel

Security device maker Whale Communications has signed its first UK reseller partner to test its proposed channel model as it makes early splashes into the UK market.

The vendor has agreed a partnership with UK value-added reseller Eurodata Systems to help it "penetrate" the market with its e-Gap Remote Access Appliance client-less virtual private network (VPN).

The technology removes the need for a dedicated VPN client and enables VPN connectivity from any web browser.

Daniel Steiner, president of Whale Communications, explained that the company will initially go direct to resellers, but may use a distributor in the future.

"In our long term strategy the right model may be to use a distributor, but in the penetration phase we want to train a few appropriate reseller partners," he said.

Steiner added that Eurodata is the ideal partner, as it has skills in application as well as infrastructure technologies.

Des Lekerman, managing director at Eurodata, maintained that this strategy is appropriate because of the product's complexities.

"This is a very technical sale and we have expertise in the integration and development. It's much more than just shifting products," he said.

Whale wants to speak to value-added resellers with skills and experience deploying IBM Domino and Oracle applications.

Steiner pointed out that client-less VPNs can save users money, but warned that there are two important challenges to overcome.

"The first is security, because you don't want to expose the internal network to external factors, and the second is user experience," he explained.

"You want to guarantee that the remote worker gets the same experience as an internal network." The company claims that the e-Gap products achieve this.

Lekerman added that the product lowers the cost, and is ideal for any business that has remote network users.