CRN Exclusive: Menlo Security Launches Partner Program, Looks To Go 100 Percent Channel

Menlo Security is launching a new partner program, a move its executives say will lay the foundation for a strategy to push all of its business through the channel.

Menlo Security announced its Isolation Platform offering in 2015; it isolates all web and email content in the cloud before it reaches the endpoint. From there, end users can view a mirror presentation of the information, without having to touch it or categorize it as good or bad.

The company's new Safe2Click Global Channel Partner Program has two levels for "select" and "authorized" partners. Authorized resellers will be able to resell products, the company said, but select resellers will get additional margin, deal protection, training and focus from sales teams.

[Related: CRN Exclusive: Fortinet Channel Chief Plans Team Expansion, Partner Program Updates]

Doug Schultz, vice president of sales for the Americas and APAC/Japan, said the program launch is part of a strategic shift at Menlo to embrace a 100 percent channel model. He said Menlo is in the middle of that transition now but is strategically moving to prioritize work with partners.

"We really wanted to up-level our offering, not just as a company but as a partner-first strategy and through ease of partnering," Schultz said. He said he is working to implement a program that is easy to understand, right to the point, and provides incremental value.

Menlo Security currently has about 20 partners across the Americas, Schultz said. He said the new program would serve as a way to bring awareness to tier 1 and tier 2 partner opportunities, but Menlo will be looking to be "very quality-focused and very calculated" when it comes to recruitment. The company also distributes products through Cloud Harmonics.

Drew Cather, vice president of innovation at Irvine, Calif.-based Trace3, said his company has been working with Menlo Security since the company announced its first offering. Since then, he said he has seen the company's leadership take feedback from partners and adopt more synergy with the channel.

"We do think that the leadership team and the approach to the channel is definitely going to help them be successful," Cather said. "They have been very focused on the channel and understanding where we provide value."

Cather said Trace3 evaluates factors like channel commitment when it chooses to partner with newer, emerging vendors in security. He said he looks to see channel commitment, margins to be made and the ability to be part of the strategy.

"We see so far that Menlo very much stands behind their value to partner," Cather said. He said he would now like to see Menlo Security build on this strategy with a focus on getting more deployments in the field, as that will improve the technology and get the word out about the company.

Schultz said the Safe2Click Global Channel Partner Program would lay the foundation for further investments in the channel. He said Menlo Security plans to add marketing and partner training shortly, as well as invest in more products for partners.