Liverpool-Based IT Solutions Provider Standardises on WatchGuard to Deliver Flexible, Unified Cybersecurity Solutions
Gardner Systems was built on a foundation of trust, expertise, and dedication to delivering IT solutions that truly make a difference. With decades of experience, they go beyond technology; they build long-term relationships based on honesty, accountability, and collaboration. Their hardworking team is committed to solving complex challenges and ensuring businesses have the right IT strategy to succeed.
Challenge
As Internet connectivity became essential in the late 1990s, Gardner needed a dependable, purpose-built security appliance that could be deployed quickly and safely to protect their clients’ environments.
After reviewing the market, Gardner standardised on WatchGuard’s Firebox appliances for their ease of deployment, simple management, and flexibility.
As Gardner transitioned into a managed service provider, new requirements emerged. The company needed a platform that supported consistent, scalable deployment across multiple customers, enabled centralised cloud management, and aligned commercially with subscription-based OPEX models.
Monthly billing is an essential component of their value proposition, enabling Gardner to offer flexible commercial terms to their customers.
What Was the Solution for Gardner Systems?
WatchGuard’s dedicated Firebox appliances solved Gardner’s early perimeter security challenges by offering a robust, reliable network security solution that is simple to manage and deploy.
Over the years, Gardner has expanded its use of WatchGuard to include Wi‑Fi access points, WatchGuard Endpoint Security, AuthPoint multi-factor authentication with multi‑tenant management through WatchGuard Cloud.
Together, these layers form a unified, intuitive environment where deployments can be templated, centrally managed, and scaled with ease.
WatchGuard’s MSP‑friendly subscription model has been a major enabler for Gardner.
As Paul Stringfellow, CTO at Gardner Systems, explained: “WatchGuard’s model is agile to meet our customer requirements and is technically adaptable. We purchase WatchGuard products on subscription billing. It gives us the flexibility to scale up or down easily and makes WatchGuard commercially attractive for us as an MSP‑driven business.”
WatchGuard’s simplistic management tools also accelerated staff adoption. First-line engineers quickly learned to deploy, configure, and support WatchGuard devices using WatchGuard Cloud. Senior engineers designed standards, enabling wider teams to handle deployments, thereby reducing overhead and increasing operational capacity.
A recent complex Wi‑Fi deployment in which the customer underestimated their requirements further demonstrated WatchGuard’s value. Rather than routing Gardner through generic support queues, WatchGuard’s technical and product teams worked directly with them in live Teams sessions. As Paul noted: “WatchGuard worked closely with our company in Teams to help design a solution. This collaborative troubleshooting resulted in an optimised design and further strengthened our trust in WatchGuard as a strategic partner.”
What Were the Results?
Today, Gardner is a WatchGuard Gold-certified partner. WatchGuard is now a cornerstone of Gardner Systems’ business model. Gardner has continued to grow, with WatchGuard contributing significantly to that expansion. A large percentage of Gardner’s WatchGuard business operates on monthly OPEX subscription billing, giving customers the agility they expect and helping Gardner win and retain business.
Operationally, WatchGuard enables Gardner to operate as a highly efficient MSP. Engineers rarely log support cases, and customers rarely report performance issues when solutions are accurately scoped. As Paul explains: “WatchGuard’s reliability and consistent management experience across firewalls, Wi‑Fi, and endpoint security reduces operational friction and speeds up training.”
Gardner also sees strong alignment between WatchGuard’s roadmap and its strategy to consolidate its technology stack.
After 25 years, WatchGuard remains one of Gardner’s most trusted and strategically important security partners.