Press Release
Benefits of managed security services in a recession
4 May 2009
Dave Abraham, CEO at Signify explains why resellers need to overcome their fears and embrace managed services more than ever
While the current financial crisis is already having a major impact on business spending, there is a general view that investment in IT security will hold up.
That is good news for security resellers. In fact, most organisations accept that they need to be more vigilant than ever to avoid exposure to increased attacks and exploitation. Add to this the growing burden of compliance and legislation and it is difficult to see how budgets can be reduced without compromising security.
Having said all that, resellers can not rely simply on selling more products or systems. IT directors will find it increasingly difficult to get security spending plans signed off that require significant up front investment. But there is another way for resellers to turn a problem into an opportunity. Hosted or managed services provide an attractive alternative for both the channel and end users without an initial cost barrier to sale.
For resellers, the regular, ongoing revenue stream and the chance to stay close to the customer are compelling benefits in themselves. With minimum installation and deployment costs and fixed monthly usage fees that can be scaled up or down depending on requirements, a managed service makes it possible for resellers to deliver better security and protection without imposing the up-front pain. For end users, a properly managed service eliminates the need to employ specialist in-house skills and frees up staff to focus on core business challenges.
However, despite these benefits, some resellers have been nervous about managed services; as it means putting their trust and reputation in the hands of the service provider. If something goes wrong – the buck may well stop with them. And despite the fact that many end user organisations have embraced the emerging SaaS (Software as a Service) model, outsourcing security in particular can still present a mental barrier and concerns in the boardroom.
These barriers and fears are being overcome by a growing number of specialist MSSPs – Managed Security Service Providers that deliver the complex bits of the security jigsaw that require specialist knowledge, infrastructure and support. MSSP’s have to provide the highest levels of security, reliability and control to deliver the essential trust and confidence for both resellers and end users. It is now possible to put together a complete security solution using a combination of well-proven managed services from different providers.
At Signify, we provide a secure 24/7 two-factor authentication fully hosted and managed service that removes the cost and complexity of deploying and managing strong remote access authentication for organisations of all sizes. It ensures that every user is verified and secured using a flexible range of token and tokenless authentication options. Other best of breed vendors are available to provide other parts of the complete solution.
Today, a new services channel model is emerging; one that accepts the integrator is central to delivering integrated managed services to the mass mid-market. The shift is from traditional system integrators that deliver solutions built from hardware and software products, to service integrators that are able to integrate a complete suite of in-house and third party services and offer end users a complete, fully managed service-based solution.
As a result, many systems integrators such as Netstore, Serco and Security Alliance are increasingly becoming service integrators that can concentrate on meeting customer needs while relying on the MSSP to build and deliver reliable and secure, non-stop 24x7 services. In the case of delivering a two-factor authentication managed service, this means not simply running the service infrastructure; but also providing all of the automated, 24x7 policy-based procedures, logistics and support that are essential to keep remote users happy and the customer satisfied and secure.
There will of course always be customers who want to do it for themselves; but for those that see the true benefits of outsourcing specific security functions to specialist providers, there is a real opportunity for resellers to deliver managed solutions. And with no immediate end to the lack of credit facing many businesses, managed services provide the ideal solution for companies that realise they simply can not afford to compromise on security.
