When CentraStage, which offers cloud-based IT management, wanted to add endpoint security, it found what it liked in Panda Security. This is a part of a huge and ongoing trend where service providers are looking for partners to either help them launch a security service, or layer security on top of existing services.
In CentraStage’s case, it offers security-as-as-service and targets enterprise-class endpoint protection. In fact, the security-as-as-service runs as software-as-as-service. The latter, to eliminate confusion, has already laid claim to the SaaS acronym.
Panda’s ready-made service provider solution is the Panda Cloud Office Protection.
MSP Today covers partnerships, well at least once a day. This duo claims theirs is different.
“The market needs more ‘conviction collaborations’ like we have announced today with Panda Security. Many vendors talk about hybrid this and ubiquitous that, but in reality it is convergence that counts – the bringing together of endpoint management and protection where it belongs in the Cloud. Shrinkwrap is dead. Long live SaaS,” said Christian Nagele, CEO and founder of CentraStage.
CentraStage's Nagele
Panda roared about what this means for customers and their security deployments. “Our partnership with CentraStage means they can offer their customers a cloud-based enterprise-grade security product without compromising their core business proposition,” said Josu Franco, director, corporate development, Panda Security. “Endpoint security augments their existing IT management product and means they can help IT organizations – whether they are an SME, MSP or a large enterprise - ensure they have complete visibility and control of their IT environment and every endpoint is secure, patched, stable and compliant.”
Managed Security Safe from Downturns
Worried about managed security sales? You needn’t be. Infonetics Research sees managed services as an answer to increasing worries about security in the cloud, where in some cases a cloud service is managing cloud security. Most times, however, the cloud service is securing the enterprise and its on-premises infrastructure.
That’s why cloud-based managed security services, along with customer premises equipment (CPE)-based services, hit $13 billion last year, and grew 12 percent.
“Buyers are moving to managed security services to deal with increased attack volume and complexity, manage security product sprawl, deliver consistent security for a distributed workforce and device population, and provide security for cloud infrastructure,” notes Jeff Wilson, principal analyst for security at Infonetics Research.
The
managed security action is hot and heavy. “Manufacturers and service providers are developing more mature offerings to build out and deliver managed security to customers, and the net result is the market continues to enjoy healthy overall growth, with particularly strong growth for cloud-based services,” Wilson says.
Edited by
Rachel Ramsey
