INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
About the authorDavid Ellis is the Vice President of security and mobility solutions at Tech Data.Cybersecurity is a primary consideration
Despite this, there are still those that harbour distorted views on cybersecurity
Frequently, simply starting the conversation about providing cybersecurity can make channel organisations unfamiliar with it, feel very
uneasy.Accumulated misconceptions have led to beliefs that providing cyber security is a job which requires reading high-level code,
film is that reality is fairly dull in comparison
In fact, this type of thinking is quite damaging to the growth of innovation in the technology landscape
For too long the channel has been providing specialized solutions without a belief that they have the ability to cross over into the
cybersecurity market.Where there are challenges, there are opportunities for success
cybersecurity in the first place?A common mistake made by businesses when starting out is to dive right into the technology
This approach overlooks some vital context; and the point of cybersecurity
Data flows through just about every aspect of our lives
Used in the right way it can become incredibly valuable
Before tackling the problem of cybersecurity, the data has to be considered first
This means smaller businesses can now leverage data in the same way that only very large businesses could as recently as ten years ago
territories have now adopted comprehensive data protection laws to prohibit disclosure or misuse of information
In Europe, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and rules from industry specific regulatory bodies layered onto this provide the
Organisations who fail to look after their data correctly, face huge fines and an erosion of customer confidence in their brand, losing them
customers.Unlike regulatory bodies, cyber attackers do not discriminate based on size
Smaller organisations now have to be as wary of protecting company data against loss as those in the enterprise
In fact, lacking years of engagement with cybersecurity provisions, SOC (security operation centre) analytics teams and protection, smaller
providers, there is now a gap in the cybersecurity market for comprehensive cybersecurity solutions to cater for smaller players in every
industry.Rather than seeing it as a challenge, businesses should be open to taking control of their cybersecurity and view it as an
IT, cybersecurity is the topic at the top of their minds
Getting it right can even open up other areas of IT spend
Once decision makers feel confident in their security, your customers are more likely to start conversations about implementing IoT, cloud,
It often feels like new cybersecurity vendors pop up daily to address the next new threat
This makes it difficult to determine what solutions are the best fit for your organisation, which technologies to choose, and which vendors
Effective cybersecurity relies on having the right knowledge and tools
This is where good distributors play an important role in the cybersecurity market
They will be researching the market all the time
As such, they can identify the most effective solutions and decipher how to consolidate them into an efficient and effective cybersecurity
Channel partners should be able to deliver tailored cybersecurity solutions and services
For those who are building up cybersecurity expertise, fully formed cybersecurity solutions which have already been developed can be
leveraged straight from the distributor
large part of the risk involved
and control policiesWe should not forget that for many organisations their focus is on running and improving their core business, rather
than becoming experts on cybersecurity
As you build up expertise around cybersecurity, choosing to focus on the regulatory and compliance requirements around a vertical market
could become a key area of differentiation from anyone else offering cybersecurity services.The shift in IT consumption modelsChannel
partners have been learning in recent years that the growing technology market has changed the way businesses buy, and therefore the way
technology vendors sell technology
The opportunity here is for the channel to be able to offer security as a service, either around the endpoint devices and its users or the
For instance, when customers subscribe to your service, there needs to be a way you can continue to add new value to the service and thus
justify the on-going subscription
That way you can move away from a cost-plus pricing model, to one that is based on the value you deliver to the customer
technology and solutions choosing the right platform can also make it much easier and less costly to offer cybersecurity solutions at scale
new cyber threats as they emerge, and talent is in short supply across the industry
If you are starting out in cybersecurity, investing in technical skills is a big commitment and may seem like an irreversible change to your
demonstrable experience, training and essential development of solutions, including production of brochures and product marketing.The
easiest way to get started is to look for cybersecurity services offered by distributors and consider the services you can resell
Fully developed and trusted solutions are available, training can be supplied and technical delivery of these services will be actioned by
training for your engineers to action the services, along with sales and marketing training for your commercially focused teams.Development
programmesLeading distributors tend to offer structured enablement programmes to help channel organisations transform existing operating
models around the latest new technologies and high growth markets, enabling shifts from traditional reseller to services-led, or managed
services to managed security services.Programmes can include developing go-to-market strategies, providing access to key materials and
resources, identifying and planning changes needed around systems and operations, which leverage technical expertise from distributors in
terms of support services, demo labs, simulated cyber-attack environments, pre-sales and technical consultancy
This method forms the best environment for businesses to expand their capabilities and for the channel to grow.Although challenges to
introducing cybersecurity do exist, they are not insurmountable with the support of the right distribution partner
Not only can distributors take the heavy investments in labour, capital and time, they can provide dedicated skills for the specific
There are easy ways to get started with the support of the right distribution partner
the needs of your customers
