Symantec Upgrades Partner Programs

Symantec is working to enhance its relationships with its customers and partners. The company recently revamped and redesigned its communications to provide its entire customer base with help, suggestions and the latest security updates. The first in a series of initiatives adopted by Symantec is the distribution of a “Home and Home Office Security Monthly.” This monthly newsletter, aimed at small users, focuses on providing an overview of the top-security threats of the month, together with ways to combat them.

“The home and home office users comprise a very large proportion of Symantec’s customer base,” said Kevin Isaac, Symantec’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa. “It, therefore, becomes necessary to provide a value-added service such as this newsletter in order to ensure that the customers are up to date with the latest in security trends and capable of protecting their systems and their environment from malicious code attacks.”

Symantec has also started issuing a newsletter to its channel partners. This is made up of specific news targeted at each of the five specializations: Security management, system and storage management, data management, application performance management and insight and expertise. The content of the newsletter revolves around general Symantec news, region-specific news, value-added content which is of relevance to the channel in the region and news on Europe, Midde East and Africa (EMEA) marketing campaign programs and pan-EMEA events.

In addition to these initiatives, Symantec will shortly be introducing an RSS feed whereby the latest news and trends in security and protection will be updated on the subscribers’ desktops as and when they occur. This would be beneficial for those networks that are connected to the Internet 24/7.

As for changes in partner support, Symantec has launched its global Symantec Sales Expert training program. Symantec channel partners now have access to new, complimentary sales training modules and assessments via Symantec’s online partner portal, PartnerNet. The training modules and assessments are part of an ongoing schedule of new training modules and assessments that will be available to partners on a quarterly basis via PartnerNet.

The new training program offers a more streamlined process for partners to achieve sales accreditation on Symantec’s security and availability products. Upon successful completion of each assessment, partners will earn status as a Symantec Sales Expert (SSE), validating their extensive knowledge on that specific product offering. The training modules and assessments take approximately one hour to complete.

In addition to the newly updated sales training program, Symantec has expanded its current Partner Locator eligibility to include Silver level partners. Symantec is currently preparing the Partner Locator Advanced Search option with information on customers’ business needs obtained from its 60,000 partners worldwide. With the Partner Locator Advanced Search option, which will launch later this year, customers will be able to easily narrow their search for partners by region, products, market focus, etc., thus providing partners with increased business opportunities.

Securing Your Laptop Data

Business travelers now know that at anytime, due to increased airport security, they could be forced to check their laptops as luggage. Such a risk emphasizes the need for computer owners to be able to secure their laptops, and especially the valuable data stored inside them, from loss, pilfering and outright theft.

With electronic “lock and key” access control, the T3 Security Suite, from Trilogy Total Technology, completely protects the data inside a laptop if it is ever lost or stolen. In addition, the T3 Security Suite includes worldwide replacement protection of the laptop itself with theft coverage from an insurance policy underwritten by AVIVA.

The T3 Security Suite is sold online from the company’s website, www.t3us.com for $99.95. The T3 Security Suite includes:

• T3 Data Vault, a bulletproof encrypted area that protects files from access in the event of laptop theft or loss.

• T3 Security Key, a non-copyable USB key that physically locks the T3 Data Vault from unauthorized access.

• T3 Audit Trail, which tracks login activity and shows if someone has tried to inappropriately access the laptop.

• A $1,500 Worldwide Theft Insurance policy.

The T3 Security Suite provides two-factor authentication using a MD5 hashing algorithm and CAST-128 bit encryption that ensures only authorized users, having both the USB key and password, can access the data. When not in use or left unattended, the T3 Security Key immediately locks the laptop and prevents all physical access to the T3 Data Vault.

Security Technology for Windows

Software Shelf today announced the release of its new security and data recovery technology File-Rescue Plus 4.0. Download a free, fully functional trial version from anywhere on the planet by clicking to http://www.softwareshelf.com if in the Americas, Australasia or Asia and from http://www.softwareshelf.co.uk if in Europe, the Middle East or Africa. A permanent license can also be purchased online and downloaded at once.

This technology recovers or undeletes “lost” or deleted computer data of every kind including photos, audio and video from every kind of device including hard drives, CDs, cameras, floppies, Jazz drives, Zip drives, Flash media, Smart media, and others. Its features surpass earlier technologies. It recovers “lost” data from virus damaged drives.

New File-Rescue Plus also contains a “shredder” for extreme security. This is the Clean Free Disk Space Option allowing a user to securely wipe all free disk space on the computer to US Department of Defense Specifications 5220.22-M. The tool includes a Live Electronic Update Option to automatically download the latest updates and upgrades in seconds by the click of a button. Software Shelf is a Microsoft Certified Partner and works closely with Microsoft to ensure the technology is thoroughly tested and obtains Microsoft Logo Certification. Software Shelf Tech support is provided worldwide in 12 languages.