High-performance network security platform provider Crossbeam Systems has tapped a channel veteran to head up its new partner program, which is launching April 1.

Tom Gillman, formerly director of Federal channels at Juniper Networks, joined Crossbeam in October 2007 as director of Channel Sales to formalize and provide structure to Crossbeam's informal channel interactions, he said.

Crossbeam's high-performance network security platforms, available in the entry level C-series or the enterprise class X-series, offers VARs the ability to deliver security systems that integrate firewalls, content gateways, and virtualized security technology in a single hardware appliance. The ability to deliver a total security package that includes virtualization is a huge selling point for VARs, said Gillman.

"Virtualization and security is huge, and data center managers are desperate for solutions that consolidate and virtualize security hardware without excessive cost or decreasing performance, manageability and scalability," Gillman said.

Crossbeam's hardware appliance can virtualize network infrastructure including applications to effectively direct network traffic quickly and securely, either in the same hardware appliance or mirrored to a second appliance for redundancy, according to a Crossbeam spokesperson.

Crossbeam partners with major vendors like CheckPoint, Websense and IBM's ISS product family to deliver their security technology on Crossbeam's single hardware application, said Gillman. Launching a formal channel program was a natural fit for Crossbeam, since virtually all of the company's sales currently come through the channel, and since the vendors Crossbeam partners with often have their own set of solution providers, said Gillman.