Endpoint Protection Provider Signs Avant in TSD Expansion

“Zero threat” endpoint protection provider Xcitium expanded its presence in the technology services distributor (TSD) channel by partnering with Chicago-based Avant.

Xcitium, which rebranded last summer from Comodo Security Solutions, joined Avant’s portfolio of suppliers, allowing Avant’s community of technology advisors to sell Xcitium solutions in an agent model. The partnership represents another expansion of Xcitium’s indirect sales model. The company also works with MSPs, MSSPs and VARs through resell and co-sell models.

“This is another milestone in Xcitium’s plan to become 100% channel-focused by the end of this year,” Michael Costantino, Xcitium’s vice president of strategic partnerships for North America.

Technology services distributors connect suppliers to technology advisors, who refer a wide portfolio of vendors to their business customers. The technology advisor model differs significantly from how many partners have traditionally sold cybersecurity and other IT products. Specifically, technology advisors sell as-a-service offerings that the vendors manage and bill, and the advisors earn a residual commission from the vendor.

Avant Cybersecurity Gains

Xcitium’s Michael Costantino

The deal represents another feather in Avant’s cap in terms of the household name cybersecurity providers it is bringing into its portfolio. Costantino called Avant the leading TSD/TSB in the category of cybersecurity, giving credit to Avant’s “education, engineering and enablement” resources.

“We know that cybersecurity has massive growth potential, and enhancing our security offering has been a focus and will continue into the future. The partnership with Xcitium is one more step forward in that direction,” said Shane McNamara, Avant’s executive vice president of engineering and operations.

The TSD has signed other cybersecurity vendors, including Cloudflare and Alert Logic. McNamara said including Xcitium in the portfolio gives partners a deeper range of solutions to offer to their end customers.

“Cybersecurity is complex and challenging and there are no one-size-fits-all solutions, but Xcitium increases the range and depth of the options open to the channel,” McNamara said in a news release.

Avant’s Shane McNamara

Costantino the partnership can lead to wider opportunities and stickier deals for partners.

“We are consistently displacing market leaders in the endpoint space. Thanks to our partnership with Avant the channel can start winning in this space too,” he said.

Xcitium describes itself as a malware prevention specialist and full-stack security provider.

Xcitium Channel

Xcitium has been growing its presence in the TSD channel on multiple fronts. The company last October announced a partnership with California-based Sandler Partners. Then Xcitium announced in late April that Meilee Langely – a veteran of the vendor side of the TSD channel – was joining as vice president of global marketing.

“The Xcitium team has already created a strong foundation for their partner program, but there is still plenty of opportunity for me to apply my spin and expertise to move the program to the next level,” she told Channel Futures.

Xcitium in February announced the global expansion of its partner program among value-added distributors (VADs). It announced deals with VADs in EMEA, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.