“The channel is a critical part of our business and partner readiness figures prominently in our planning process”

From managing India's largest super computer project-PARAM 10000, at Sun
Microsystems, to developing business at Citrix Systems, and finally taking the
lead in establishing a world-class security service providing company, Anil
Menon has come a long way. As CEO of SecureSynergy, Menon is responsible for
business operations of the company including sales, marketing, technology,
training, consulting and the service provider

How has SecureSynergy evolved over the years from being a vendor-driven
solutions provider to a solutions provider with own services?

We have never viewed ourselves as a vendor-driven solutions provider.
Exactly like a full service airline requires an aircraft to deliver the
experience of flying, we believe that a large part of the services can be driven
only around products. We look at ourselves as a security services provider.

We have certain platforms that we use to deliver our services, in addition to
a suite of consulting offerings that are not only vendor driven but it also
addresses process, compliance as well as architectural level issues at the
client end. Most of our key vendor relationships are royalty driven enabling us
to deliver better value as well as RoI to customers.

Anil Menon CEO, SecureSynergy

We are one of the only security ASPs in the regions, and one who makes money
out of its services. We were also ranked as the market leader in managed
security service (MSS), 2006 by Frost and Sullivan for the Indian market. And at
this point of time we are the largest security services provider in the country.

How large is your company?

We have a significant presence across both enterprise and SMBs in the MSS space.
With approximately 750-odd clients in the SMB space as well as 200-odd in the
enterprise, we are the largest by number of clients served as well as the
largest by value (Frost and Sullivan, managed security, 2006).

How have you defined SMB customers? And which segment is SecureSynergy
more focused on?

We segment the market as following-up to 10-user segment is addressed by our
SOHO security offerings, which include managed anti-virus (MVS), anti spyware,
PatchEasy and Safend. We do not see a strong IT department or even a dedicated
IT owner in most organizations till they reach roughly a 100 desktop size.

Till organizations have around 250 desktops or so, the IT department is weak
with one or two administrators owning responsibility for IT. Naturally, the
focus on security is minimal with attention going to desktops, office
productivity and messaging. This entire segment is SMB and gets enormous value
through SecureSynergy's managed security offerings.

Apart from being the 'largest' security solutions provider in India, on
which other countries are you focusing?

We have significant presence in the Middle East with over 250 clients served in
the GCC and Saudi markets. IT decision makers over there have lot of cultural
similarities to us, being largely made up of Indians and Pakistanis. We also
have limited presence in the US, though that will go up over the next year or
two.

What kind of channel structure does SecureSynergy have in place?

As a security service provider, we deliver our suite of products and
services through most of the leading solution providers in the country. We
believe that every single player in the channel community can get added
advantage and ability to deliver superior value to their clients by
participating in SecureSynergy's channel program called REACH.

We have a two-tier channel model for our MSS and SMB offerings with a set of
resellers and Ingram Micro as a distributor. The consulting and other product
offerings follow a single tier model with a select set of integrators working
with SecureSynergy directly.

What value-adds do you give to your channel partners?

Channels are a critical part of our business and channel readiness figures
prominently in our planning process. Traditionally, we do channel training
multiple times a year-centrally as well as at channel premises. Supporting
partners is equally critical after the sale process and hence we have invested
in toll-free lines, e-mail and web-based support for our channel partners.

Our support infrastructure has the ability to provide level-2 (L2) and
level-3 (L3) support across the product/services that we offer. We also have a
market development fund, which can be used by partners to run customer contact
programs, lead generation campaigns and mailers. In addition, we encourage
partners to leverage SecureSynergy's relationship with CII to reach the message
of secure infrastructures to all organizations across the country.

As a solution provider you are competing with several other companies in
the market, what differentiates your company?

Our breadth of offerings as an end-to-end secure infrastructure services
provider truly differentiates us. Whether it is bleeding edge technology
controls, consulting, and domain expertise to offer compliance solutions or off
site delivery, we have the people and the technology to match the best in the
business.

Today, we have different competitors across different service lines-an
end-to-end competitor is rare. A well-developed channel framework aids this
process and helps us reach larger number of customers. Unlike other service
providers, our collaborative business framework and channel model enables us to
give support services to every corner of the country and reach any customer
within two to four hours.

We understand ASP delivery and have perfected this over the last four to five
years, making us easily the largest ASP in the country delivering security on
tap.

How many technology tie-ups does SecureSynergy have till date?

We have various types of technology tie-ups. Some of them are royalty-based,
some market reach-based. Few others are technology partnerships. The tie-ups are
a critical part of our go-to-market model ensuring that we have the necessary
security controls to back our methodologies as well as ensure security of client
infrastructures.

You already have your own solutions. Eventually, would this mean going on
your own for all future products?

We are a service provider who delivers through partners. We do not see that
changing any time soon.

NELSON JOHNY