The world is a very different place than it was when routers were initially developed more than 50 years ago. When a technology is that long in the tooth, many view it as a commodity.
But occasionally vendors come along with a surprising twist that reinvigorates the market and forces buyers to think of things differently. A great example of that is PerfTech and its flagship product for the MSP market, Island.
The irony is that PerfTech isn’t new to the router space in any way. In fact, its executive vice president, Tom Gallo, describes the company as a 40-year startup.
“We’ve been around since the 70s in San Antonio, TX, working with some of the most brilliant networking folks globally. Our development team includes the creator of ARCNET, the predecessor to Ethernet.
Our routers are preferred because they’re robust. They can handle 5 million subscribers quickly and securely.
In 2019, we decided to introduce a product ideal for MSPs, which we had in beta for almost two years before introducing it last April,” he said.
What’s new here?
Tom Gallo
PerfTech’s goal in launching an MSP-focused product, Island, was to help MSPs differentiate themselves and deliver great connectivity without adding complexity or sacrificing security. On the contrary, Island’s multiple layers of security are a major selling point.
“Every router has a firewall, but ours is stateful and automatically configured. We offer a unique VPN that doesn’t impact performance. We also have automated threat filtering with Webroot, which is updated every 5 minutes, and allows MSPs or its clients to manage access control effectively,” Gallo shared.
Another point of pride is the price, which is MSP-friendly by design. While many competitors in the space charge annual fees, PerfTech doesn’t. Without those subscription fees, IT professionals take home 100% of the margin for its services.
Why MSPs?
The PerfTech team started its investment in the MSP space with due diligence. By speaking to key players throughout the industry, they learned common MSP pain points and how best to serve the managed IT community.
“The router market is full of products and there’s a lot of confusion. There are so many different data sheets filled with information, so choosing the right product that delivers the best value can be hard. A lot of routers are difficult to deal with, difficult to install.
“So we took our experience, our high performance architecture, and our security expertise, and packaged it in a simple, affordable way. We want to help MSPs market, sell, and manage networking technology,” Gallo offered.
What’s PerfTech’s Engagement Strategy?
PerfTech’s approach to moving into the MSP space is to “meet MSPs where they are” and focus on education and thought leadership opportunities. The thinking is that if the product is great and the service is excellent, it sells itself.
PerfTech has taken an active role in education over the years by offering networking courses to ensure that the IT professionals who use their products understand the basics.
Another part of that strategy is sponsoring in-person events, including ChannelPro LIVE: Chicago in February 2024. When asked why this particular event fit them, Gallo responded with a huge smile.
“Rhonda Grimm, our product marketing director, and I have been to many of these kinds of shows over 35-40 years in the technology industry. The details matter when it comes to producing a great experience, one where an IT professional can walk away with the information they need to thrive. At this event, every detail is taken care of. The turnout is terrific, it’s exactly the people we want to reach, they want to learn more. We’re delighted to be here,” Gallo said.
Image: PerfTech
