2020 Partner Directory - ChannelVision Magazine

2020 Directory | CHANNEL VISION 61 PROFILE D uring the last year, Powernet Communications has been going through a process of digital transformation follow- ing its strategic ac- quisition of Maxis360, which occurred late in 2018. The addition of Maxis360 enabled Powernet to grow from a traditional telco provider into a leading technology enabler. Powernet was able to significantly enhance its portfolio, adding a variety of key tech- nology offerings such as voice, Wi-Fi, data and IT managed services. At the same time, the acquisition opened the door to a unique partnership with Genesys. Powernet can now offer partners a “bring your own carrier” solution along with SIP long distance with custom and highly scalable SIP trunking solutions. So partners can now receive compensa- tion from selling software, as well as car- rier SIP and professional services. Meanwhile, during the last two quarters, Powernet also has been heav- ily pushing its security services to the channel. Partners can now offer full vulnerability scans, creating an oppor- tunity to gain a foothold in the lucrative security market. For more insight on this latest of- fering, we spoke with Powernet senior sales support manager Brian Lammers. CV: In terms of Powernet’s decision to push security to the channel, what kind of demand are you seeing for security right now? BL: Managed security for the chan- nel is a natural, critical component of our full technology pack- age. Partners earn consis- tent, predictable revenue and their clients enjoy the peace of mind knowing they have a strong security posture. It’s on every business and IT leader’s mind, cre- ating tremendous opportu- nities for partners to begin the conversation. CV: What does the next year look like from a se- curity perspective? Tell us about some of the advancing threats that you’re seeing in the space.  BL: Global cybercrime is heading toward a $6 trillion a year “industry” within the next two years. Thousands of new threats and vulnerabilities get pub- lished each month. With an already-full plate, it’s a tre- mendous challenge for IT departments to execute a consistent policy month over month. Unfortunately, security gets relegated to an afterthought or a “we’ll get to it next month when we finish this project” mentality. Partners can solve that by putting them in good hands. CV: How are vulnerability scans a game changer for Powernet partners? BL: They are a door-opener for our partners and an eye-opener for their clients. Beyond identifying and prioritiz- ing threats and network vulnerabilities, they give our partners visibility into other revenue opportunities within the client’s network. These opportunities may include outdated software, end-of- life servers and firewalls, and over- or under-designed network components, all of which our partners can address with our engineering team. Following that initial scan, it’s the consistency of implementing monthly or quarterly scanning and remedia- tion that is the true game-changer for clients. CV: Do you have any security-relat- ed success stories that you want to share? BL: This summer we helped an insurance and finance company that was experiencing attempts at access- ing customer data as well as monthly fines for not being PCI compliant. Our security engineering team implemented managed vulnerability and remediation to handle the threats. By creating and sharing the ongoing monthly security plan document, they were able to show auditors that a strong plan was in place, which eliminated the monthly fines for lack of PCI compliance. CV: This year Powernet was able to transition from a telco provider into a technology leader, following the acquisition of Maxis360. What’s next for Powernet? BL: From a company standpoint, it’s about deepening those successful channel relationships and doing all the little things well: speed, availability of engineering and executive support, and successful implementation. Chan- nel partners and clients typically will drive where we go from a product standpoint. What is needed? What are your clients asking for? It’s an exciting time at Powernet, and we’re headed into 2020 with a full head of steam. By Gerald Baldino Powernet Grows fromTelco Provider toTechnology Leader Powernet’s Brian Lammers