**Editor’s Note: Click here for a list of recent channel-program changes you should know.**

By Edward Gately

Two cybersecurity firms are making the move to a 100 percent channel sales model to expand their reach and provide more revenue opportunities for partners.

LockPath, which sells GRC (governance, risk management and compliance) and information-security software, is making the switch to accelerate the reach of its Keylight GRC platform. A 60-day free trial of the platform is now available through its channel partners.

To complement its channel program, the free trial allows companies to try its software for one of three use cases: IT risk management, vendor risk management or corporate policy management.

“We’ve found that working with trusted partners to surround a potential client’s problem with the best possible solution happens most effectively and efficiently when we work within the channel partner ecosystem,” Wyatt Cobb, vice president of channel sales, told Channel Partners. “We have seen steady growth since we founded LockPath in 2010, but knew that if we could get Keylight … in front of more people we could grow even more quickly. Our challenge was awareness, and the vast network of channel partners is quickly raising our awareness.”

In addition, data-protection provider Unitrends has implemented a channel-driven, go-to-market strategy, which it says is immediately injecting “tens of millions of dollars” into its channel ecosystem and “enabling the company to cultivate new and existing relationships with partners around the world.”

“The impetus behind our decision to move exclusively to a channel sales model was simple: we no longer wanted to compete with our partners,” said Kevin Weiss, Unitrends’ president and CEO. “Over the past several years, we’ve developed strong channel partnerships by providing resellers with lucrative sales opportunities and … solutions that address their customers’ individual backup and disaster-recovery requirements. We are now solely focused on nurturing these relationships and forging new ones to build a … sales force comprised of brand ambassadors across multiple functional areas at partner organizations.”

LockPath’s technology partners include such firms as HP, Intel Security, IBM, Microsoft and Acunetix. Its channel partners include such firms as Accuvant, Fishnet Security, MAD Security and GuidePoint Security.

LockPath’s 60-day trial program is directed toward organizations that have considered a GRC platform, but are hesitant. Many companies resist investing in GRC technology due to concerns that the platform won’t meet their needs or will require too many resources to manage.

Later this year, Unitrends will unveil an all-new channel program that is being built from the ground up based on partner survey results and input the company received from current partners during a series of interviews.

The new program will be “simple, lucrative, focused on training and education, and structured to give partners the power of choice over their level of engagement,” according to the company.