Sybari Software Inc. understands that they are unknown in the market. They had to be unknown – until now.
The Long Island, N.Y.-based software developer has been a significant OEM player since 1996. Sybari has created software products such as GroupSheild for McAfee and other products for
Lotus.
Today, Sybari is on its own with three products: Antigen for Notes, Antigen for Exchange and Antigen for Sharepoint.
Antigen is an anti-virus, content-filtering, and email security solution. The software detects and removes viruses before they reach applications. It also integrates with virus scanners from Network Associates, Symantec, Trend Micro, Sophos, Kaspersky (Russia), CA VET (Australia), CA Inoculan and Norman (Norway).
Sybari has expertise in anti-virus for Groupware, Domino, Exchange, and Sharepoint portal server from Microsoft. The company, according to Jean Pascal Hebert, channel account manager for Sybari Canada, does not want to develop another virus scanner but want to instead focus on server platform and leverage all of the above mentioned anti-virus developers.
“”We’ve had a very low profile for a long time, but we are a player in this market,”” said Hebert, who is based out of Ile Bizard, Que.
Hebert’s mandate is to move all of Sybari sales to the channel. Sybari has inked security-focused specialty distributor Interwork Technologies of Ottawa to help them expand into the channel.
“”Sybari moved away from direct sales and into the channel because of growth. We recognized that the best way to grow is through the channel. We are 100 per cent channel as of 2003,”” Hebert said.
Sybari has 14 partners with coverage nationally with partnerships such as Xwave and Metafore. The rest of the partners are regional.
Hebert is looking for two types of partners for Sybari. Partners with expertise in building security solutions will be Hebert’s prime target. He will also try to sign resellers who develop solutions around Microsoft and Lotus software.
Sybari will release shortly a three-tiered channel program that will help out resellers who occasionally resell Antigen and other VARs who are more committed. The program will have volume discounts, sales and marketing collateral and support.
For top partners such as Xwave and Metafore, Sybari will provide them with more volume discounts and a dedicated channel account manager, Hebert said.
“”I see a lot of people retooling for this market,”” Hebert said. They are refocusing and going after best of breed security solutions that are multi-technology and multi-vendor. There will be no more single vendor solutions.””
Currently Sybari has 7,000 users worldwide that cover more than eight million email users.
Sybari will also release a spam management tool and SMTP protocol software for the Antigen line later on this year.
