It was great to be back in Chicago for ChannelCon 2022. Thank you to CompTIA for their successful event, with 1,000 attendees and vendor partners for the extensive formal and informal learning opportunities enabling us to recommend and reinvigorate after the last 24 months.

Here are some noteworthy findings from CompTIA’s research “MSP Trends 2022”:   

• 42% of MSPs hired staff with cybersecurity skills last year
• 54% of MSPs cite updated cybersecurity expertise as a success driver
• 74% of U.S (United States). companies were victims of phishing attacks in 2020
• 350,000 new malware strains found daily

It was valuable to exchange ideas and strengthen relationships with other vendors and service providers at our booth, in hallway talks, and over a drink. While virtual meetings are useful, nothing can replace one-on-one conversations and personal engagement. I value feedback from partners on the front lines to ensure they have the people, process, and technology needed to respond to today’s cybersecurity challenges.

Here are my key takeaways from session presentations and conversations with global services providers in our sponsored booth. I am excited to meet more of you who defend small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

1. Bridge the skills gap

Cybersecurity is not all about the newest or most powerful technology. It takes expertise, the human element, and the right technology to achieve defense-in-depth protection. Experts in a 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC) provide around-the-clock monitoring, investigation, and incident response that is not practical or scalable for most partners or businesses to staff, train, and retain in-house. At Netsurion, we are fortunate to have security experts who protect our partners and customers around the clock. With over 2 million open IT (Information Technology) positions, I am happy to see CompTIA continuing to educate and upskill the industry on the challenges faced addressing complex Cybersecurity services.

2. A channel opportunity to elevate security

Momentum is increasing with almost 60% of purchases now going through the channel. Cybersecurity spending is targeted to reach $192.7B by 2028, according to Grand View Research with an estimated $5.6B by 2028 in MDR (Managed Detection & Response) SOC services, so an opportunity exists for service providers to move beyond offering just traditional point products like endpoint and network security into advanced Cybersecurity services for Detection, Response and Remediation. As you expand and scale your solution portfolio, look for providers like Netsurion to partner with that cover the entire threat lifecycle with comprehensive services to predict, prevent, detect, and respond rapidly to cybersecurity incidents.

3. Avoid rip-and-replace

Not all vendor capabilities are comparable, so it is “buyer beware” to ensure an apples-to-apples comparison when evaluating services and offerings. For example, Netsurion was talking with a prospective partner in our booth who asked about “true multi-tenancy” considering other vendors who talk about it but have yet to operationalize it. The same goes for “threat hunting", a service many claims to offer but delivers at vastly various levels of maturity. Look beyond the buzzwords and hype to understand capabilities, hidden costs, and solutions fit for your organization and goals. Focus on leveraging your existing infrastructure, tools, and solutions – and those of your customers – to avoid a rip-and-replace mentality that is costly and time-consuming. As you grow with your customers, look for a solution that scales with you and avoids long implementation cycles and one-time capital expenditures.

4. Simplifying security operations

IT technology and cybersecurity can seem complex, with point products cobbled together over time and many vendors to manage. Service Providers can help enterprises streamline their decision process and tech stack to increase efficiencies. The recent push for remote work and digital transformation makes it even more imperative to advise businesses on protecting their sensitive data, assets, and business reputation. Cybersecurity is a technology enabler that fosters business confidence, and you are well-poised as a trusted advisor.

Final Thoughts

The cybersecurity talent shortage is driving demand for managed services. This trend, in turn, prompts Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to evolve their offerings and expand services and ensure they are addressing their customer's Cybersecurity needs and provide proactive threat detection and remediation services. Customers and partners alike focus on business outcomes like growing the business, minimizing risk, and streamlining operations. Netsurion’s cybersecurity experts and 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC) can accelerate your go-to-market, expand your services, and augment your team with a co-managed approach that enables you to help your customers address their Cybersecurity challenges. Learn more about Managed XDR (eXtended Detection and Response) solutions and critical platform components.