Websense starts European tour

Internet management software company Websense will meet channel partners in Oxford tomorrow, as part of its European roadshow this summer.

The aim is to bring partners up to speed on the newly released Websense Enterprise v5, which allows companies to monitor internet usage by user and to block inappropriate sites.

"It'll be a long half-day in each country," said Geoff Haggart, Websense vice president for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

"We're going to go over new features in the software, present a new method of lead management so that partners can get more business directly without going through us, and launch the new channel partners website, www.channel.websense.com."

The new software is a major shift for the company, as it deals with control both at the desktop and at a network level. This is designed to counter new threats such as peer-to-peer networks and instant messaging.

Last year the company held one big event in Barcelona that all European partners attended, but this year it has opted for a more local approach. As well as events in The Netherlands, France, the UK and Germany there will also be smaller events in other countries, to ensure that as many partners as possible are reached.

"Taking a country by country approach is a definite improvement. These events are useful anyway, but different countries have different laws regarding these types of products," said Dave Ellis, director of e-security for UniPalm.

"Individual markets are at different stages of development and it's good that Websense can concentrate on these one at a time."

Attendees will also be issued with new materials for selling Websense products and a copy of The Essential Guide to Websense, which has been commissioned for the tour.

Websense will be hosting a day's event in Oxford on 15 April.