WatchGuardOne Program Gets Update Post-Panda Security Acquisition

WatchGuard Technologies has expanded its WatchGuardOne partner program in the aftermath of its Panda Security acquisition this summer.

Existing and newly added partners now have access to the full suite of products and services from both companies. They’re available via WatchGuard’s worldwide network of authorized distributors.

Panda products are now available individually and through Passport, the user-centric security services bundle. Partners can provide complete security, from network to endpoint, for their customers.

Easier for All Partners

Michelle Welch is WatchGuard‘s senior vice president of marketing.

WatchGuard’s Michelle Welch

“By expanding the WatchGuardOne program, we’re enabling our combined partner community to save time, simplify operations and enjoy the financial benefits of their program status across all WatchGuard products they sell,” she said.

Partners can view their program status, sales and accrued marketing funds from a single location via the WatchGuard partner portal.

In addition, WatchGuardOne has added an endpoint security specialization. It allows existing partners to get the expertise they need to sell the newly acquired endpoint offerings from WatchGuard. Likewise, Panda partners can achieve an endpoint security specialization. They can also earn specializations in network security, multifactor authentication (MFA) and secure Wi-Fi.

Partners that get a specialization in just one of these four product families can achieve full WatchGuardOne status. That offers financial incentives and sales, marketing and technical support without revenue thresholds or product portfolio adoption requirements.

“To put it simply, the more partners know, the more they can make,” Welch said.

WatchGuardOne members must complete a set of training requirements for each product category; then, they earn a specialization and progress through the levels of the program.

“Partners that earn one specialization achieve the silver level, while those with two specializations reach gold status. Partners that earn three specializations receive additional rebate points,” added Welch.

Earning More Benefits

The new endpoint security specialization offers yet another avenue through which WatchGuard partners can progress within the program to earn more financial benefits, she said.

“This new specialization option represents a major opportunity for existing Panda partners as well,” Welch said. “It gives them a fast path to certification for products they already sell, and all the added financial benefits that come with it.”

WatchGuard has added 6,500 new partners from Panda this year, growing its channel community to more than 18,000 active partners globally.

“Today’s solution providers must prioritize working with vendors who understand their needs, reduce their costs and generate new business opportunities,” Welch said. “Our acquisition of Panda Security, and subsequent evolution of our partner program, helps partners in these areas by helping them differentiate, consolidate security vendors, simplify technology administration and enjoy flexible business processes.”

“We’ve been eager to expand our endpoint security portfolio for quite some time,” said Kevin Willette, CEO of Verus. “However, we were not interested in adding another vendor to our stack. The addition of endpoint detection and response (EDR) and endpoint protection platform (EPP) to WatchGuard’s portfolio of advanced security services enables us to invest in our endpoint strategy with a strategic vendor we already know and trust.”