10 March 2008
by Billy MacInnes
As encryption becomes more mainstream and heads towards the status of a commodity product, the issue of how customers manage their encryption keys is expected to provide a value added opportunity for channel partners.
Recent high-profile cases have demonstrated how easy it is to lose important data, but providers of encryption products believe they also show the role technology could play in easing the effects of such incidents.
Daniel Mothersdale, EMEA vice-president for sales at nCipher, said that if mislaid data had been encrypted it would have been easier to minimise the risks because the data would still be secure.
He argued that encryption was not a difficult or alien solution, especially as the concept "has been around since Caesar", but it had previously been thought of as the preserve of governments, banks and geeks. As encryption had moved towards the mainstream, key management had become a bigger issue.
"It is crucial that the partners we work with understand that the philosophy of encryption is the best policy, but educating them to be able to work within the key management environment is a totally different issue," Mothersdale said.
One source said the spate of high-profile data leaks had put encryption on the agenda and resellers were being asked more by customers for help getting to grips with the situation.
Mothersdale’s comments came as nCipher unveiled its Global Secure partner programme, which aims to provide improved benefits and greater revenue and profit opportunities to channel partners.
The partner programme is divided into three levels: Elite, Authority and Access. Mothersdale said the levels reflected a partner’s commitment.
"The more committed they are to selling our products, the more we are committed to them. The more they get involved, the more discount they get," he said.
