TechData+VideoNEXT=Mac

CLEARWATER, Fla.--TechData, a national distributor that established a unit dedicated to Apple resellers roughly four years ago, has signed a deal to carry VideoNEXT's suite of IP security management software, which runs native on the Mac OS X operating system.

“As Apple in general becomes more acceptable as a business user's platform, whether through servers and the data center, or new storage products, we want to make sure we have the best products on the line card,” said TechData VP of Systems Brian Davis. “We're not looking to push them over to the Mac, but when the demand is there, we want to make sure we can fulfill that demand, and we brought VideoNEXT on board for that reason.”

Are the Apple resellers actually installing security systems, though?

“After wearing the video surveillance hat at TechData for 2.5 years, I kind of carried it with me here to the Apple group,” said Bob Shouse, manager of the Apple business unit, and former manger of the physical security business unit. “But we'd already had inquiries from resellers asking if there was any security software that ran native on Mac OS. They wanted to be able to offer full solutions, but they didn't want to go in and put in a PC or Microsoft server to run the video surveillance piece.”

“Are they beating the door down,” he continued, “probably not, but we have a core of resellers who've been awaiting this. We had 25 of our top resellers here in Florida and we rolled out the VideoNEXT to them, and they were very excited ... It's something resellers have been looking for.”