INTELLIGENT CLOUD
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Demand for managed security services is growing at double digit figures and expected to reach close to $ 20 billion by 2019
• Gartner defines managed security services as remote monitoring of IT security functions via shared services from remote security operations centers
• Limited resources directly translates to weak security protection levels within an organisation and longer lead times for protection, detection, correction
• Managed security service providers are under pressure to take full management control of business security environment
• Managed security service providers should be in constant communication with customers, sharing analytics, threat intelligence, incidence reports
partners serious about building a managed security service providers practice should have a clear strategy for hiring, training and retaining security personnel with a focus on nurturing in-house talent. Not only should personnel be technically savvy, but importantly they need to have an understanding of threat landscape in the region and possible attack vectors to allow them to spot potential threats to an organisation.
2 Partnering Over last couple of years, we have seen emergence of a staggering number of security vendors on the market, almost all claiming to be best-in-class! The good news for managed security service providers is that they are spoiled for choice, but the bad news is many of these solutions overlap and providers often trade off product features for ease of integration and collaboration between various products and solutions.
Rather than opting to integrate disparate point solutions, channel partners looking to build a managed security service practice would be well served to partner with a couple of key security vendors from the outset. This would help to develop a security service platform, from the ground up, that addresses the needs of the market and customers they are looking to serve.
Because of privacy concerns, and increasing spending on public cloud solutions, managed security service providers will soon need to take charge of monitoring end user cloud application activity along with hybrid solutions
Hybrid cloud
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At present security service providers and end customers take joint responsibility of the business security integrity. Due to growing complexity of security solutions and the increasing need to focus on core competence, managed security service providers are under pressure to take full management control of the business security environment. This is compounded with the growing adoption of cloud in the region.
With the increasing adoption of hybrid cloud in the Middle East because of privacy concerns, and increasing spending on public cloud solutions, managed security service providers will soon need to take charge of monitoring end user cloud application activity along with hybrid solutions. With that end in mind, they should integrate security in all their applications and product offerings.
Trusted advisor
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Too often, vendors and partners alike, use the term trusted advisor when characterising partnership with endcustomers. But what does being a trusted advisor really mean? It means, building a level of accountability and transparency with the customer that goes far beyond just providing tactical security services.
Managed security service providers should be in constant communication with their customers, regularly sharing analytics, threat intelligence and incidence reports. By educating the customer on their security posture, managed security service providers allow the customer to take more informed, evidence-based decisions and in doing so, gain the customer’ s trust.
For channel partners looking to build a robust security practice and setting themselves apart from competition, becoming a managed security service provider offers opportunity to add value by managing routine IT security operations and growing revenue and margins.
Tarek Jundi is Managing Director Middle East and North Africa at Intel Security
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