ZyXel Tells SonicWall Channel To Trade In And Come Aboard

ZyXel confirmed this week a trade-in promotion for seven models of SonicWall products, through which solution providers will receive significant discounts for replacing SonicWall with ZyXel products. Participating solution providers also will be automatically placed in Zyxel's partner program as Diamond partners, the highest level with the sweetest discounts and benefits.

"Some SonicWall solution providers may have trepidations since the sale of the company," Steven Joe, executive vice president of channel business for the Americas at ZyXel, said in a statement. "We'd like them to experience first-hand ZyXel's broad line of firewalls and UTMs, which are specifically designed to meet the needs of SMBs."

[Related: Former D-Link CEO Takes Top Channel Post At ZyXel ]

The eligible SonicWall models include its TZ100, TZ100 Wireless, TZ200, TZ210, NSA2400, NSA3500 and NSA4500 products. Partners are limited to five trade-in discounts, ZyXel said, and the promotion will run through July 31.

ZyXel is continuing to add channel partners as it revamps its partner program to a solutions-plus-services-attach model. Joe told CRN in March that ZyXel sees a substantial opportunity around trends such as cloud-based management of mobile devices and wireless networks.

Dell in mid-March agreed to acquire SonicWall for an undisclosed amount, said to be roughly $1 billion. Some SonicWall solution providers are concerned that a Dell-owned SonicWall would diminish the channel's ability to profit from the products.

Jake Sailana, communications director at ZyXel, said the size of SonicWall's SMB market share makes the opportunity a ripe one.

"We believe that we have a strong offering int his space with best price and performance value as well as great revenue opportunities for the channel," Sailana wrote in an e-mail to CRN. "So we are confident that we will win over partners who take advantage of this promotion and try us out."