Businesses have spent years figuring out how to put artificial intelligence to work. Now comes another challenge: keeping track of where it’s being used, who can access it, and whether it complies with company security policies.
For channel partners, that challenge could open the door to new services revenue.
Westcon-Comstor announced on Nov. 10 that it is teaming up with Check Point Software and Extreme Networks to help resellers and service providers develop AI governance offerings across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).
The initiative, called the Power Alliance, combines network visibility with security controls and gives partners access to a free virtual testing environment.
Its aim is to help partners move beyond selling individual products and develop integrated services that give businesses greater control over how employees use AI applications.
Power Alliance brings networking and security together
The Power Alliance builds on Westcon-Comstor’s existing relationships with Check Point and Extreme Networks.
Check Point contributes security controls and policy intelligence, while Extreme provides network visibility and automation through Extreme Platform ONE, which combines networking, AI, and security capabilities.
Westcon-Comstor will support partners through technical enablement, sales training, and go-to-market programs.
| Company | Contribution | |
|---|---|---|
| Westcon-Comstor | Distribution, technical expertise, and partner enablement | Helps partners develop and sell integrated offerings |
| Check Point Software | Security controls and policy intelligence | Supports enforcement of AI usage policies |
| Extreme Networks | Network visibility and automation through Extreme Platform ONE | Provides insight into how users, devices, and applications access AI services |
The companies are targeting a problem that becomes harder to manage as AI adoption spreads across departments.
Organizations need visibility into which AI applications are being accessed, but identifying those applications is only part of the challenge.
They also need controls to ensure usage aligns with internal security requirements.
“Effective governance requires moving beyond visibility and towards consistent policy enforcement,” said Michael Herman, head of channels Europe at Check Point Software.
Extreme Networks approaches the issue from the networking side.
“AI governance starts with the network. You can’t govern what you can’t see,” said Ali Giacomin, vice president of commercial offers at Extreme Networks.
The alliance aims to connect those capabilities, allowing partners to develop services around monitoring AI usage and applying security policies.
However, network visibility and security enforcement alone do not constitute a complete AI governance program. Customers must also address data handling, employee permissions, model risk, and compliance requirements.
Free 3D Lab helps partners demonstrate AI governance
A central component of the initiative is a dedicated Check Point and Extreme Networks sandbox within Westcon-Comstor’s existing 3D Lab.
The free virtual environment allows EMEA partners to explore how the two vendors’ technologies work together and demonstrate potential customer use cases.
Rather than relying solely on product presentations, partners can test integrated configurations and assess whether proposed solutions meet customer requirements.
The lab is intended to support several activities:
- Integration testing: Explore how Check Point’s security controls work with Extreme’s networking platform.
- Customer demonstrations: Show how the combined technologies could address specific AI governance requirements.
- Proofs of value: Validate proposed solutions before production deployment.
- Deployment preparation: Identify potential integration or configuration challenges earlier in the process.
Westcon-Comstor says the environment could help partners reduce deployment risk, build customer confidence, and shorten sales cycles.
Those are the distributor’s stated objectives. It has not disclosed customer results demonstrating how much time or cost the lab could save.
Beyond the sandbox, partners will receive technical and sales enablement, go-to-market assistance, and customer engagement support.
The goal is to help them develop offerings that can be repeated across multiple customer environments rather than treating every AI governance project as a one-off engagement.
Westcon-Comstor expands its AI partner strategy
The Power Alliance is the latest addition to Westcon-Comstor’s AI-focused partner initiatives.
On November 5, the distributor introduced its Secure Artificial Intelligence Learning (SAIL) program through its Cisco-focused Comstor business.
SAIL combines sales enablement, technical training, and insights from real-world AI deployments to help EMEA partners pursue AI infrastructure opportunities.
According to Westcon-Comstor, more than 400 partners had registered for SAIL sessions at the time of its announcement.
The Power Alliance takes a more focused approach, addressing the security and governance challenges that arise as organizations deploy AI applications.
Together, the initiatives indicate that Westcon-Comstor is expanding its emphasis on helping partners develop services around AI rather than concentrating solely on product distribution.
Daniel Hurel, senior vice president of Westcon EMEA Go-To-Market at Westcon-Comstor, said AI governance is becoming a board-level concern as organizations balance innovation with security, compliance, and control.
He also emphasized the need for partners to move beyond standalone technologies and deliver integrated business outcomes.
The commercial opportunity will depend on whether partners can translate those capabilities into services customers are willing to adopt and maintain.
What the Power Alliance means for channel partners
For MSPs, resellers, and systems integrators, the Power Alliance provides a potential entry point into AI governance without requiring them to build an entire testing environment independently.
The free 3D Lab could be particularly useful for partners looking to validate technical solutions before committing resources to customer deployments.
The longer-term opportunity, however, may extend beyond the initial sale.
Partners could potentially develop services around:
- AI usage assessments: Identifying AI applications and evaluating associated security risks.
- Governance implementation: Configuring network visibility and security controls to support customer policies.
- Integration services: Connecting Check Point and Extreme technologies with existing infrastructure.
- Ongoing management: Reviewing policies, monitoring supported controls, and updating configurations as requirements change.
These are potential opportunities based on the alliance’s capabilities, not prepackaged services announced by Westcon-Comstor.
That distinction is important because the distributor has not disclosed partner margins, service pricing, or projected revenue from the initiative.
Partners should also confirm licensing requirements, supported integrations, implementation responsibilities, and the scope of technical support before developing commercial offerings.
For existing Check Point and Extreme Networks partners, the alliance could provide a way to expand customer relationships into AI governance.
It may also help smaller providers pursue more complex engagements by giving them access to shared testing resources and vendor expertise.
The challenge will be turning those resources into repeatable offerings that solve specific customer problems.
As AI adoption expands, businesses will need more than visibility into the applications employees use. They will need practical ways to apply policies, manage risks, and maintain oversight.
For channel partners, the opportunity is to turn that ongoing requirement into a service rather than another one-time technology sale.
Keep up with Europe’s latest technology, AI, and cybersecurity developments. Subscribe to Tech Insider Europe for essential coverage of the region’s evolving technology landscape.