Absolute Software launches regional HQ in Malaysia

• Absolute Software opens Asia Pacific HQ in Kuala Lumpur with inTechnology Distribution.
• Office currently has a staff of six with plans to expand headcount to ten by yearend.

ABSOLUTE Software Corporation has opened a new corporate office in Kuala Lumpur, a joint venture with distribution partner inTechnology Distribution.

The new office will serve as the Canada-based firmware-embedded endpoint security and management solutions provider’s Asia Pacific headquarters, providing sales support for both its consumer and corporate solutions.

Mark Grace (pic, left), vice president, Global Consumer, Asia Pacific and Latin America for Absolute Software, said the office in Kuala Lumpur allows the company to expand its global reach and better support its customers in the Asia Pacific region.

He added that the company’s move to expand its presence in the region is reflective of the rising need and demand for secure endpoint security solutions, driven by the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend.

“CIOs are now challenged with managing security issues across a more complicated landscape, and ... we believe Absolute can step in to help fill that gap,” he said.

Unique selling point

When asked what unique value Absolute’s solutions would provide enterprises in light of other vendors also rolling out similar security and tracking offerings to meet demand, Grace pointed to the company’s Computrace persistence module as one highlight.

“Through our partnership with computer manufacturers, the Computrace persistence module is embedded into the firmware of computers and tablets at the factory. Once the software is installed and activated, our customers enjoy a level of persistence that is virtually tamper-proof, providing them with a trusted lifeline to each computer in their deployment,” he claimed.

He added that the persistence module can detect when the Computrace Agent has been removed so it can self-heal, even if the firmware is flashed, the device is re-imaged, or the hard drive is replaced.

“That’s what makes us unique; we are one of the few companies out there that offer BIOS-level embedded security through our partner network of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs),” said Grace.

The company also offers Absolute Manage, a lifecycle management technology that allows IT administrators to manage PC, Mac, Android, Windows, and iOS devices from within a single console.

Grace said that while the company’s consumer products are sold at some Apple Stores, Absolute does not have its software embedded in the firmware of Apple devices as Apple has not opened up such access to any third party vendor to date.

“The recovery rate for Apple devices is slightly lower than for devices based on other platforms but we’ve found that in many cases, the thieves don’t wipe the operating system, only personal files on the hard drive, which works to our advantage for recovery efforts,” he said.

With over 350 employees around the world and over five million subscriptions currently under contract, Absolute Software claims it has assisted in recoveries in over 90 countries with over 23,000 recoveries to date. The company has working relationships with over 6,500 law enforcement agencies around the world and is seeking to expand its relationships with Asian enforcement agencies to better aid in device recovery efforts.

“Another thing to point out is that Absolute offers an overall solution for mobile device management, asset management in addition to tracking, and recovery of all via a single console to simplify things,” said Mark Winter (above pic, right), managing director of inTechnology.

He added that this allows businesses to scale into that space and reduce the impact of BYOD on the IT environment.

Plans for Asia

With Kuala Lumpur as its regional headquarters, Absolute currently has a staff of six and plans to expand headcount to 10 by year-end.

Winter said there are great growth opportunities in Malaysia and Asia Pacific as more organizations are facing the challenges presented by the increasingly mobile nature of devices and data.

“We are excited to partner with Absolute Software as we expand our operations in Asia Pacific and hope to potentially replicate our success in Australia and New Zealand,” said Winter.

He admitted that there were unique differences in servicing individual markets within South-East Asia but said that the experiences gained from other markets, coupled with a deep understanding of corporate and OEM needs, would serve the company in good stead in adapting to new markets. India and China are also key markets for the company moving forward.

Absolute works mainly with its network of OEM partners to integrate and execute its solutions for enterprise clients based on a subscription business model.

A key focus in Asia will be in expanding its network of channel partners and further educating them on the benefits of the company’s portfolio of device management solutions. The company also intends to strengthen its ties with regional governments, seeing a business opportunity for its tracking solutions.

“Most government entities don’t have the capability to track and manage their assets and we are seeing more governments mandating built-in tracking capabilities for IT assets in their procurement exercises, in light of heightened security concerns,” said Grace.

Absolute is also known for its range of consumer products, most notably laptop tracking software “LoJack for Laptops”.

Grace said that an official launch for its consumer range of products was in the pipeline but will only be executed after the company has established and expanded its footprint in the corporate space.