Monday Morning Impact – October 19

Published On: October 19, 2020Categories: Buzz, Uncategorized

Study: A Vote of Confidence for Cybersecurity

Organizations are becoming more confident in their cybersecurity practices, according to a recent market research report by CompTIA, a suburban Chicago-based trade association.

Eight out of 10 organizations surveyed for CompTIA’s State of Cybersecurity 2020 report said their cybersecurity practices are improving, although many companies acknowledge that there is still more to be done. Growing concerns about the number, scale and variety of cyberattacks, privacy considerations, a greater reliance on data and regulatory compliance are among the issues that have the attention of business and IT leaders.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been the primary trigger for revisiting security,” said Seth Robinson, senior director for technology analysis at CompTIA. “The massive shift to remote work exposed vulnerabilities in workforce knowledge and connectivity, while phishing emails preyed on new health concerns.”

The report also highlights how the “cybersecurity chain” has expanded to include upper management, boards of directors, business units and outside firms in addition to IT personnel in conversations and decisions.

Within IT teams, foundational skills such as network and endpoint security have been paired with new skills, including identity management and application security, that have become more important as cloud and mobility have taken hold. On the horizon, CompTIA expects to see skills related to security monitoring and other proactive tactics gain a bigger foothold. Examples include data analysis, threat knowledge and understanding the regulatory landscape.

The research is based on a survey of workforce professionals at 425 U.S. companies conducted in August and September 2020.

Channel Impact®
The research suggests that while most companies are headed in the right direction, there is still a great deal of opportunity for channel partners who can further support IT security.

BlackBerry Launches Unified Partner Program

BlackBerry Limited has rolled out a new global partner program that combines the BlackBerry Enterprise Partner Program and BlackBerry Cylance Partner Programs into one comprehensive structure. The new program features a unified sales portal with real-time access to training, tools and enablement resources.

Participating partners will have access to BlackBerry’s entire portfolio of solutions, including cybersecurity and endpoint management. Benefits include a deal registration program, a new partner portal, a new online modular training curriculum with Sales and Technical tracks, access to a Beta community and knowledge base, Not For Resale (NFR) licenses, plus marketing and sales support.

“Partners are instrumental to BlackBerry’s growth goals and with the new unified global partner program, we have all of the necessary ingredients to help drive new revenue opportunities for them as organizations the world over struggle to maintain business continuity during a time in which the scale and variety of cyber threats continues to grow,” said May Mitchell, VP of Channel, Alliances and Field Marketing at BlackBerry. “We’re confident that the new program will be well received by partners who see significant opportunities amidst a security market and threat landscape that shows no signs of slowing down.”

Channel Impact®
The program is viewed as a simplified and more flexible version of its predecessors.

AireSpring Announces Master Agency Agreement with Avant

AireSpring, a Los Angeles-based Managed Services Provider specializing in Unified Communications, Managed Network, and IT Services, has announced a partnership with master agent Avant Communications of Chicago. This newly formed partnership enables AireSpring to sell its Global Managed SD-WAN, Managed Security Services, and its cloud connectivity, voice, and data offerings through Avant’s network of agents.

“We are pleased to deepen the portfolio of solutions available to our network of Trusted Advisors through this partnership with AireSpring,” said Avant President Drew Lydecker. “During this time of accelerated demand and rapid digital transformation, it’s vital to have partners with proven track records of empowering growth and success such as AireSpring.”

The SD-WAN offering is based on VMware SD-WAN by VeloCloud technology paired with AireSpring’s carrier-grade Global Private Network (GPN) with distributed PoPs, last mile circuit procurement, monitored and supported 24/7/365, through its global NOCs.

“We believe our broad collection of innovative voice and data solutions, and our highly developed managed services portfolio coupled with our high-touch personalized white glove service, align extremely well with Avant’s philosophy and focus on next-generation IT solutions and their growing community of trusted advisors,” said Daniel Lonstein, AireSpring President and CRO. “Together we look forward to driving growth for our combined portfolio of services to the entire channel community while helping enterprises navigate today’s fast-changing IT landscape, empowering customers to make the right technology choices that solve today’s digital transformation journey.”

Channel Impact®
The agreement adds new technology options for Avant while expanding AireSpring’s route to market.

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