Exclusive Networks makes marquee signing with NetApp

Exclusive Networks has made a marquee signing, bringing NetApp on board to add data resiliency to the portfolio of services it can put in front of partners.

The distributor will be handling NetApp’s portfolio across the UK and Ireland, and encouraging its partner base to add the vendor’s data protection tools into a security solution pitch.

Data has become increasingly important to customers keen to embark on an artificial intelligence (AI) journey in identifying and securing their assets. Against that background, Exclusive identified the need to bring NetApp on board to cover off the rising need for a solid data resiliency play.

“We made a decision four or five months ago that we needed to bring in a data management and data security vendor to help our customers grow and to and to grow our business overall. We selected NetApp as that vendor. We went through a whole process with them, and we’re delighted to say that we’ve signed a full distribution contract for the UK and Ireland, and that will sit perfectly as our data management, data security vendor,” said Rob Tomlin, managing director of Exclusive Networks UK & Ireland.

“We see data security and resilience as significant growth sectors and a key part of our cyber security strategy. NetApp became the obvious partner due to its best-in-class technology, channel-first approach and strong technical integrations with many of our core cyber security vendors. NetApp’s intelligent data infrastructure solutions are a strategic addition to our cyber security portfolio and align perfectly with our mission to provide trusted security across digital environments,” he added.

“It’s a marquee signing for us, and we’re super excited about it. I know our customers are going to be very excited about it ... and we think our core vendors are also going to be excited because they’ve got a lot of collaboration,” said Tomlin.

Sonya Mathieu, partner leader for NetApp UK & Ireland, said it had signed the distributor because it saw the potential to widen its market reach.

“While this leverages Exclusive Networks’ specialist cyber expertise and partner ecosystems, it will introduce NetApp’s intelligent data infrastructure to new customers, empowering businesses to navigate today’s complex security landscape with unmatched data protection and recovery capabilities,” she said.

Tomlin said Exclusive Networks has been building a portfolio of vendors that can collaborate and combine to provide partners with a “tapestry” of services that knit together and make a compelling pitch.

“Our job is to build that tapestry and help our partners and vendors work together, and that’s something that we’re really focused on, and we’re being successful in,” he said.

As well as the partnership with NetApp, the distributor has consistently expanded existing vendor relationships or signed fresh ones, the most recent example being its decision to carry Fortinet in the Irish market.

The distributor has seen its business expand in Ireland significantly and has high hopes for the Fortinet relationship.

“Our collaboration with Fortinet may be new to the Irish market, but we are leveraging over two decades of accumulated knowledge, expertise, experience and trust from our successful partnerships around the world,” said Julian Keable, country manager at Exclusive Networks Ireland.

“Ireland is seen as a strategically important market for many of the world’s leading multinational organisations, with buoyant IT and channel sectors. Cyber security revenue is expected to grow annually by nearly 8% to reach over $812m by 2029,” he added.