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Symantec says it now offers “partners the choice of buying Symantec software in a monthly subscription-based model, providing them with greater flexibility in how they deliver solutions to their customers.”

The program covers Symantec security and storage products, according to Channel Chief Randy Cochran. Moreover, Symantec bills partners quarterly — but partners can bill their customers monthly. As a result, partners can potentially benefit from improved cash flow, notes Cochran.

Cochran is quick to note that Symantec has offered ExSP licensing to large service providers since 2006. But now, Symantec is extending the program to SMB partners.

New Player In Crowded Room

Still, Symantec is still learning about the MSP partner ecosystem. One prime example: During the Symantec Partner Engage 2009 conference in Orlando, most Symantec insiders had no idea that ConnectWise was hosting a 1,000-person MSP gathering right down the road.

Also, Symantec is somewhat late to the MSP licensing model for SMBs. Rivals like Trend Micro have long offered service provider licensing to smaller VARs and MSPs. Plus, Trend Micro allows MSPs to manage multiple individual customers as a single virtual organization in order to gain economies of scale on discounted subscription fees. Cochran says Symantec plans to offer similar economies of scale but the initial ExSP program for SMBs apparently lacks that type of scalable pricing model across multiple end-customers.

Plus, competition continues to mount in the MSP pricing model market. Examples include:

Don’t Dismiss the Giant

Despite all that competition, Symantec shouldn’t be underestimated. The company’s endpoint security and on-premises storage solutions remain popular across the IT channel. Plus, security and storage appear to be two prime pieces of low hanging fruit for MSPs.

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