PARTNERS ’ PERSPECTIVE pandemic accelerated it . With mandated lockdowns and entire populations stuck at home , organisations were suddenly forced to drastically change the way they operated . Digital Transformation efforts in the MEA were dramatically accelerated as businesses embraced hybrid and remote working . Pandemic or no pandemic , the show had to go on , and the cloud became a natural progression for organisations in the MEA region who were looking to enable their remote workers to continue meeting their goals . With digitalisation and the move to the cloud , organisations are focusing on their own business excellence without having to invest in infrastructure , platforms and software . Channel partners need to be articulating this to CIOs . In fact , some of the key benefits from moving to the cloud include shifting business models from CAPEX to OPEX , so that companies pay only for what they use , be it IaaS , PaaS or SaaS .
Along with all of these benefits , rapid transformation has also opened many security gaps for organisations . With accelerated Digital Transformation initiatives and the move to the cloud , organisations had to restructure their network and security
In speaking the CIO language , channel partners can help CIOs to be better understood within their organisation and can confidently focus on and be able to project their requirements .
fabrics overnight , resulting in security gaps and new opportunities for criminals .
Having put into place the Digital Transformation journey during the pandemic , CIOs are now focusing on implementing the innovations that provide them with the right systems to achieve their business goals . In speaking the CIO language , channel partners can help CIOs to be better understood within their organisation and can confidently focus on and be able to project their requirements .
As a systems integrator , managed service provider ( MSP ) or solution provider , you must guide CIOs to be prepared for threats emerging from a hybrid workforce . Here , people are any firm ’ s greatest risk when it comes to cyberattacks , especially as so many employees are working in a hybrid model . As the ‘ work from anywhere ’ culture is adopted by many companies in the MEA region , teams need to develop and deploy clear best practice policies for hybrid working , covering system and network access , data management , user privileges , password hygiene , unauthorised applications , BYOD , data protection , and more . Channel partners must help CIOs to also adopt a peoplecentric approach to enterprise data loss prevention ( DLP ) to counter any data loss arising from people .
Cloud providers and MSPs are prioritising how they assist customers on their cloud journey by removing the heavy lifting required by organisations doing the transition themselves .
Channel partners are enabling this by simplifying the process and providing a suite of consumptive services that address common pain points , for example , cost management and the skills shortage facing MEA . Organisations can now consume everything as a service by adopting a service or acquiring an As-a-Service product from these partners , allowing the CIO to focus on the new initiatives that the business demands to become more adaptable . •
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