D&H Distributing and Fortinet Forge Major Cybersecurity Alliance to Arm Channel Partners

HARRISBURG, PA – January 12, 2026 – In a significant move set to reshape the cybersecurity distribution landscape, technology distributor D&H Distributing has announced a strategic partnership with Fortinet, the global leader in converged networking and security solutions. The agreement integrates Fortinet's entire security suite into D&H's Advanced Solutions+ ecosystem in the United States, creating a formidable new resource for thousands of channel partners.

This collaboration is more than a simple portfolio expansion; it represents a calculated maneuver by D&H to cement its status as a premier destination for security-focused partners. The timing aligns with a market seeing unprecedented demand for robust security solutions, driven by escalating cyber threats and the complexities of hybrid work environments. By adding Fortinet, which company leadership identified as a top strategic target, D&H is directly addressing the needs of its partners, from Value-Added Resellers (VARs) and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to enterprise solution providers.

A Strategic Play in a High-Stakes Market

The cybersecurity market is projected to grow by over 12% in the coming year, and distributors are vying for dominance. This partnership positions D&H to capture a significant share of that growth. By bringing Fortinet's enterprise-grade Security Fabric—a comprehensive platform that includes everything from firewalls and SASE to advanced endpoint detection—into its fold, D&H significantly elevates its offerings. This move enables its vast network of partners, particularly those serving the small-to-medium business (SMB) and mid-market sectors, to compete on a new level.

For Fortinet, the alliance provides a powerful new channel to penetrate deeper into the SMB and mid-market, segments ripe for advanced security adoption. Trevor Pagliara, Executive Vice President of U.S. Sales at Fortinet, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration's potential. “D&H has built one of the most comprehensive enablement engines in the industry, and Fortinet is excited to join their Advanced Solutions+ portfolio," he stated. "Together, we are bringing enterprise-grade security capabilities to partners of every size, backed by the training, technical resources, and expertise required to build and scale modern cybersecurity practices.”

The partnership aims to generate substantial net-new business, leveraging what Fortinet executives have called D&H's "aggressive SMB sales 'machine'" to reach a wider client base. This strategic alignment is designed not just to shift market share among existing players but to expand the overall market for advanced security services delivered through the channel.

Empowering the Channel with the 'FWD' Program

Central to the announcement is the launch of FWD (Forward), an exclusive enablement program designed by D&H to help partners master and monetize Fortinet's technologies. This initiative goes beyond typical distribution support, offering a structured pathway for partners to build deep technical and sales competencies. The goal is to accelerate the evolution of MSPs into more sophisticated and profitable Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs)—a key growth area, with the MSS market projected to reach nearly $88 billion by 2030.

The FWD program includes several key components:

• Structured Training: Clear certification roadmaps aligned with Fortinet’s renowned Network Security Expert (NSE) curriculum.
• Hands-On Workshops: Immersive bootcamps and lab sessions held at D&H's state-of-the-art Experience Centers, focusing on practical skills like FortiGate deployment and secure networking.
• Dedicated Expertise: Direct access to a specialized team of solution architects for pre-sales consultation, solution design, and ongoing technical support.
• Go-to-Market Resources: A full suite of tools, including D&H’s SuccessPath to MSP Toolkit, to help partners scale their managed security offerings effectively.

Early reactions from the channel are overwhelmingly positive. The partnership is a "game-changer," according to the managing partner of one Ohio-based technology service provider, who revealed an aggressive goal to sell between $500,000 and $1 million in Fortinet solutions over the next year. This sentiment underscores the immediate value that partners see in gaining access to a market-leading security portfolio backed by a robust support and training infrastructure.

Fortifying the Front Lines from SMB to Enterprise

Ultimately, the collaboration aims to fortify the security posture of end-user businesses. By making Fortinet's unified Security Fabric platform more accessible through D&H's extensive partner network, organizations of all sizes can benefit from integrated, AI-driven security that reduces complexity and improves threat detection. This is particularly crucial for SMBs, which are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals but often lack the resources to deploy and manage enterprise-level defenses.

The integration of Fortinet into the D&H Advanced Solutions+ portfolio creates powerful synergies. Partners can now design holistic client solutions that combine Fortinet's security with complementary technologies in areas like AI, cloud, and datacenter modernization. This enables partners to address complex customer needs with a single, cohesive strategy, moving beyond siloed product sales to become true technology consultants.

Jason Bystrak, Senior Vice President of the Cloud & Advanced Solutions+ Business Unit at D&H, highlighted this empowerment as the core of the partnership's mission. “Adding Fortinet to our Advanced Solutions+ portfolio in the U.S. expands what our resellers and MSPs can deliver,” said Bystrak. “By coupling Fortinet’s market-leading technology with our dedicated training and support infrastructure, we are empowering our partners to meet the complex cybersecurity demands of today and build a more resilient future for their clients.”

As businesses continue to navigate an ever-expanding threat landscape, this alliance between a distribution powerhouse and a cybersecurity leader provides a critical new conduit for deploying advanced, comprehensive security solutions where they are needed most.