Distributor Tech Data has extended its small and midsize business security line, announcing a deal June 6 with BitDefender to distribute the vendor's line of anti-virus and firewall applications for small businesses.

The deal beefs up Tech Data's SMB security portfolio and extends the U.S. reach of BitDefender, which launched a North American channel program in November.

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BitDefender's data and Internet security solutions provide intrusion prevention, anti-virus protection, content filtering and spyware blocking for the SMB.

The Bucharest, Romania-based BitDefender plans to leverage Tech Data's reseller reach and support software licensing expertise to recruit new VARs and enhance the service they are able to provide, said Ginger Yerovsek, BitDefender's North American director of marketing and sales.

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Tech Data will provide BitDefender resellers with pre- and post-sales support, including authorization and licensing assistance, as well as quote and bid preparation through Tech Data's Licensing Desk. Resellers and end users also will have access to free, 24-hour-a-day technical support through BitDefender's North American Partner Program.

For Tech Data, BitDefender pads its security line for SMBs, helping VARs build more complete solutions, said Tamra Muir, Tech Data's vice president of software product marketing.

VARs will find the product attractive because of the technical support and license structure that starts upon installation and not sales of the software, said Matt Stephenson of My Techware, in Orlando, Fla., a security VAR.