Sophos today announced extensions to its channel program for managed service providers (MSPs) as part of an effort to enable them to add threat hunting services to their portfolios.
In addition, Sophos announced it has expanded its integrations with both remote monitoring and management (RMM) and professional services automation (PSA) platforms provided by Datto, Kaseya and ConnectWise.
Finally, Sophos is also making Cloud Optix, a tool for automatically discovering and securing customer assets on public clouds available via a flex billing option. The goal is to continue to make it simpler for MSPs to consume software in the same monthly subscription-based manner they sell their services to end customers, says Scott Barlow, vice president for the global MSP business at Sophos.
In general, Barlow says by partnering with Sophos MSPs are finding it easier to add additional cybersecurity services to expand their portfolios.
“MSPs need to move beyond managing firewalls and endpoints,” says Barlow.
Security software is being provided more as a service these days because both end customers and channel partners are finding it difficult to hire and retain the cybersecurity talent required to deploy and maintain software on endpoints and appliances, adds Barlow.
That shift also makes it more feasible for traditional MSPs to resell software security services, which in turn is blurring the line between MSPs and managed security service providers (MSSPs). On some level, every MSP is now expected by end customers to able to secure the services they deliver.
Otherwise, the end customer is liable to start looking for a rival MSP that can securely deliver all services.
Less clear is to what degree MSPs will choose to roll their own services versus relying on a vendor or partnering with a dedicated MSSP. Most MSPs are wary of partnering with potential rivals and Barlow notes most MSPs can’t really afford to build their security operations center. As such, Barlow says relying on services provided to channel partners by vendors such as Sophos becomes the best option.
In fact, Sophos claims to have more than 8,000 global and regional MSP partners worldwide and that MSP billings increased 83% in the first half of the company’s current fiscal year. Overall Sophos claims MSPs have yielded $33 million in annual recurring revenue.
Naturally, Sophos is not the only cybersecurity vendor transforming itself into a cybersecurity service provider. However, it is only one of handful choosing to sell those services 100% via the channel.
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