These days it’s next to impossible to sell an IT solution that doesn’t include a cybersecurity component. End customers these days are now baking cybersecurity requirements into every project. Tech Data in recognition of that new reality is making Cisco Spark collaboration software and Cisco Umbrella cloud security services jointly available on the distributor’s StreamOne Cloud Marketplace.
The goal is to make it simpler for solution providers to resell both services together using a common billing mechanism provided by Tech Data, says Sergio Farache, senior vice president, Global Cloud Solutions at Tech Data.
“It all shows up on one bill to the customer,” says Farache.
While it may be a challenge for solution providers to make a lot of money on any single cloud service, the more cloud services combined, the simpler that goal becomes to achieve. Distributors such as Tech Data make it easier to mix and match cloud services either from a single vendor or across multiple vendors, says Farache.
Of course, making the transition to the cloud often requires perseverance. Most cloud transactions involve multi-year contracts where the solution provider gets compensated over the life of the contract. That requires some getting used to for solution providers that are accustomed to having large transactions positively impacting their balance sheets every quarter, says Farache.
In general, Farache says cloud service providers have a much greater appreciation for the value of the channel than ever; especially when it comes to driving activation and renewals of subscriptions. Many cloud service providers don’t turn a profit until long after the first year of a contract, so renewals in the second and third year are critical.
It’s still early in terms of organizations making the transition to the cloud. But in terms of bundling cloud services together, it’s hard to imagine any cloud service being deployed that didn’t include a way to secure it.
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