Microsoft Touts Security Program for Partners, Discounts Products

Published: January 16, 2008

by Alex Woodie

Companies that partner with Microsoft to develop security solutions bring in more revenue, are more efficient, and enjoy higher profits than similar companies that don't participate in certain Microsoft programs, according to a new report issued by IDC. Microsoft is touting the report as a sign that its new Security Solutions Competency (SCC) program, which it launched last summer, is working. The software giant also authorized its security partners to start giving discounts on security products.

Microsoft officially entered the security software business in the summer of 2006 with the launch of its Forefront line of products. At the same time, the company created the \r\nSecurity Software Advisor (SSA) and the Security Solutions Competency (SSC) programs to help its business partners get the technical and sales know-how to effectively serve customers with Forefront-based solutions.

At its worldwide partner conference in Denver, Colorado, last July, Microsoft announced it was investing $50 million into the programs to help train its partners. Now, it's bringing out the IDC study to show that those programs are working, while simultaneously expanding its Forefront training programs for partners once again.

The IDC white paper report, titled "Microsoft Security Solutions: Partner Pathway to Business Performance," compares the business performance of Microsoft partners that participate in the SSA and SSC programs against "benchmark" security solution providers that don't participate.

Not surprisingly, the study found that participating partners did a lot better than those who didn't. For example, operating profits for Microsoft partners were one third higher, revenue growth was three times higher, and revenue per employee was over $45,000 more per employee for partners compared to nonpartners. All in all, SSA and SSC partners outperformed nonpartners in 12 of 15 of the key performance indicators (KPIs) surveyed by IDC.

Mark Hassall, partner marketing director for Microsoft's Forefront Security business, says the program is working well. "We've been pleased with the response," he says. "We have over 6,000 partners enrolled in the Security Software Advisor program, which allows partners to earn up to 30 percent in advisor fees when they help drive deployment of Forefront-based security solutions. And we have over 1,000 partners in the Security Solutions Competency, which is now the fastest growing competency in the Microsoft portfolio."

Microsoft is also authorizing its partners to offer sizable discounts to customers that buy Forefront security products, Hassall says. The offers include a 25 percent discount off Forefront Client Security per-user and per-device monthly subscriptions and Forefront Client Security Management Console monthly subscriptions, and the second is a 35 percent discount off the list price of monthly subscriptions for Forefront Client Security together with standalone System Center Configuration Manager 2007 server licenses or standalone Systems Management Server 2003 server licenses.

For more information on Microsoft Forefront products, see www.microsoft.com/forefront.