Tech Data this week expanded its relationship with Symantec to include Symantec Cloud Workload Protection (CWP) and Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) Mobile to its StreamOne Cloud Marketplace. Tech Data already makes Symantec endpoint software available via it cloud marketplace.
The addition of the two offerings from Symantec will make it simpler for channel partners to rapidly acquire and deploy both endpoint security and data protection software, says Tracy Holtz, director of security and information management at Tech Data.
The Tech Data marketplace makes it simpler for partners to download multiple instances of application software at scale across an organization, says Holtz.
“There’s less friction for the partner,” says Holtz.
That reduced level of friction is especially critical when partners find themselves having to meet a customer need in a hurry.
Cyber attacks involving ransomware initially target endpoints to encrypt data before laterally moving through the organization. Customers realize they need to both improve endpoint security as well as create pristine copies of data that can be recovered via the cloud in the event their data becomes encrypted.
Customers also expect partners to be able to replicate the online shopping experience they encounter on public clouds. The amount of business software being downloaded via those clouds is still not all that high because of the purchasing processes most organizations have in place. But customers also expect that once they do sign a software contract with a solution provider, the process through which that software will be acquired and deployed will be simple. Most partners, however, don’t have the resources required to build their own equivalent of an online store. Distributors such as Tech Data have made online stores to fill that gap on behalf of their partners. On top of that distributors are also providing tools and analytics software that enable partners to analyze transactions across their customer base.
It’s not clear how much software will ultimately be sold via cloud marketplaces. But as business users continue to raise their expectations based on their experiences using consumer software, it’s only a matter of time before online stores become the expected norm.
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