Trust Digital launches partner program for non-Blackberry management solutions 17 November, 2009 By Mark Cox

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Trust Digital's solution is intended to provide the channel for RIM's Blackberry server solutions with a complementary one that enables management of servers for iPhone and Android devices.

"What's changing the market is iPhone- like technology, and applications around that," said Dan Dearing, Trust Digital's VP of marketing. "Most devices coming into the enterprise are consumer devices which don't have a management server associated with them, and that's the gap we fill."

"Our solution is a complement to the Blackberry," Dearing said. "Our solution provides the same functionality as Blackberry servers for other devices. We can take advantage of a channel that already exists -- the Blackberry channel. What we add to the mix is our technology."

"Blackberry VARs have the needed skill set," said Nick Turner, vice president of reseller and service provider sales. "We are attaching them because there is a market being proven. Enterprises are quickly looking at how they can expand beyond Blackberry because of devices they deem interesting or useful for business purposes."

"Mobile employees traditionally got a laptop and a Blackberry, Dearing said. "The Blackberry gave them an end-to-end way to manage email, was easy to buy and service from carriers of choice, and they looked to a VAR for Blackberry enterprise like service. Now it's a more chaotic environment, with new platforms different from Blackberry in that they are truly an application platform. We let them leverage those other platforms."

The reseller program has been launched to attract those type of Blackberry partners, with the right experience and skillset.

"This is not a program made from scratch," Turner said. "We are reformulating one we had before, putting it in a new framework."

The partner program has the standard three tiers -- Silver, Gold and Platinum. The Platinum partners are principally outside North America, and serve as master distributors in their market. Trust Digital deals predominantly direct with its' partners in North America. Gold partners are capable of providing 24x7 Level 1 support and installations. Silver partners do not provide support, and have the option of doing installation.

A managed services provider tier is also being introduced, which will offer Trust Digital EMM as a managed service, typically alongside other managed offerings or capabilities.

"The managed service tier came out of customer demand for cloud services," Dearing said.

To Learn more about Trust Digital EMM and the Reseller Program, visit www.trustdigital.com/