Securing SaaS Zero Trust’s Identity channelvisionmag.com Volume 23 Issue 2 MARCH - APRIL 2024 The Voice of the Channel Sponsored by REPATRIATION REALITIES AI Enters PRM WIRELESS BROADBAND’s RELAUNCH
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MARCH - APRIL 2024 EMERGENT 8 Digital twins -aaS 8 AI cost saving 8 AI pushes DC capex 10 Partnering Smarter AI officially enters PRM and the sub-agent experience By Martin Vilaboy 14 Navigating AI Integration Strategic steps for successful Copilot deployments By Richard Acreman VIRTUAL REALITIES 18 Repatriation Realities Gauging the growing interest in cloud repatriation By Gerald Baldino CYBER PATROL 26 Security Spotlight A look at this year’s top cybersecurity drivers and trends By Gerald Baldino 32 Why Identity is the Cornerstone of a Zero Trust Architecture By Scott Silver 36 A Single View on SASE GTT discusses SASE sales on heels of adding Fortinet to portfolio 40 Telesystem Aims to De-Commoditize Technology By Brady Hicks AT YOUR SERVICE: XAAS 42 A Bad Backup Plan Five risks hiding in cloud collaboration backup and how MSPs can prevent them By Todd Thorsen 44 Getting Physical New SaaS solution takes on-site security to the cloud By Martin Vilaboy 46 The SaaS Double-Edged Sword SaaS expands the attack surface, introducing new cybersecurity challenges and opportunities for channel partners By Gerald Baldino 52 Down to Business (Case) Strategies to win the UCaaS & CCaaS sale By Allister Quinteros MOBILE & WIRELESS 56 Remote is Still the Reality Strategies for maintaining effective mobile workforces By Martin Vilaboy 60 Wireless Broadband Relaunch We could be on the brink of reaching the hype around 5G By Martin Vilaboy CHANNEL MANAGEMENT 66 QuestBlue Evolves to Meet Customer Needs 70 Accessorize That Thing You Do So Well By Glen Nelson 72 Granite in Sync with Partners and Customers 74 Telarus Empowers Technology Advisors in the New Digital Era CORE COMMUNICATIONS 78 Managing a New Marketing Reality 2024’s email authentication opportunity for MSPs By Mike Anderson 80 Snom’s M900 Series: Coming Soon to an Event Near You 82 Kings III Helps Check-Mate Emergency Calling Concerns By Brady Hicks 6 Editor’s Letter 84 ICYMI 86 Ad index CONTENTS Volume 23 – Issue 2 4 CHANNELVISION | MARCH - APRIL 2024
Entering into 2024, small to mid-sized enterprise IT administrators are both excited and concerned, suggest findings from JumpCloud’s Q1 2024 edition of its biannual SME IT trends report. On one end, they are optimistic about the potential upside AI can bring to their organizations, with 79 percent reporting that AI will be a net positive to their companies versus the 6 percent who see it as a net negative. In turn, just more than three-quarters of IT administrators agree their organizations should be investing in AI. At the same time, IT teams are wary about AI’s potential for organizational security, as 62 of respondents agree that AI is outpacing their organization’s ability to protect against emerging threats. The good news is, this combined sense of potential opportunity and impending threat appears to be increasing reliance on the expertise of trusted advisors as well as the perceived benefits they deliver. According to the findings, MSPs now completely manage the IT environment for 42 percent of organizations. That represents a 56 percent increase over the 27 percent of respondent who said the same thing in April of 2023. Overall, three-quarters of SMEs rely on an MSP for some features, while 13 percent don’t currently use an MSP but are considering it. Just 11 percent of SMEs don’t work with an MSP and have no plans to do so, showed the JumpCloud findings. For SMEs working with MSPs, the most popular reason is that they are up to date on the latest technologies such as AI (65 percent, up from 61 percent in April 2023), followed by their ability to provide a better user experience (60 percent, up from 55 percent in April 2023), and they are cost-effective (56 percent, up from 50 percent in April 2023). At the same time, system security is the most common area for which organizations use MSPs (57 percent versus 53 percent in April 2023). Perhaps that’s not so surprising considering security challenges are IT admins’ biggest concerns, cited as number one by 56 percent of respondents. And about two-thirds of respondents said working with an MSP has resulted in better security, with larger SMEs (101-2,500 employees) reporting slightly better results. Of course, IT administrators surveyed for JumpCloud have a lot more on their minds than AI. But few things are more central on their radars than the new applications and services it can enable as well as the new abilities it provides attackers. Certainly, the simultaneous excitement and trepidation is creating an opportunity for MSPs and partners that can offer guidance in achieving outcomes and assurance against the emerging threats. More Need of MSPs LETTER Martin Vilaboy Editor-in-Chief martin@bekabusinessmedia.com Brady Hicks Contributing Editor brady@bekabusinessmedia.com Gerald Baldino Contributing Editor gerald@bekabusinessmedia.com Percy Zamora Art Director percy@bekabusinessmedia.com Rob Schubel Digital Manager rob@bekabusinessmedia.com Jen Vilaboy Ad Production Director jen@bekabusinessmedia.com Berge Kaprelian Group Publisher berge@bekabusinessmedia.com (480) 503-0770 Michael Burns National Account Executive michael@bekabusinessmedia.com (262) 993-9116 Beka Business Media Berge Kaprelian President and CEO Corporate Headquarters 10115 E Bell Road, Suite 107 - #517 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 Voice: 480.503.0770 Email: berge@bekabusinessmedia.com © 2024 Beka Business Media, All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in any form or medium without express written permission of Beka Business Media is prohibited. ChannelVision and the ChannelVision logo are trademarks of Beka Business Media What areas of your IT program are managed by MSPs? (select all that apply) IT Area 4/23 11/23 System security 57% 53% Coud storage 52% 53% System monitoring 51% 47% System management 47% 47% Managed backup 40% 40% Hardware procurement 34% 33% help desk 35% 30% BC/DR 32% 30% Change management 27% 26% Source: JumpCloud; Q124 SME IT Trends Report 6 CHANNELVISION | MARCH - APRIL 2024
VIAVI Solutions recently announced advanced of a joint testbed as a service (TBaaS) with VMware – recently acquired by Broadcom – which combines VIAVI’s TeraVM RIC Test with the VMware RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) to create a “digital twin” for the evaluation and performance benchmarking of applications. TBaaS has been validated with multiple app vendors and consortiums, including at the i14y Lab, underscoring expanding industry demand due to its ability to speed deployment and agility. Digital twin modeling, based on AI and enabling new predictive capabilities, is emerging as a vital solution to fortify increasingly complex networks, said the companies. By creating a virtual model of a network in the lab, service providers can more quickly and effectively model network behaviors and disruptions. TBaaS provides a cloud-based digital twin via a set of tools that enable communication service providers to streamline evaluation of rApps and xApps prior to selection of partners, continuous CI/ CD efforts, deployment and secure operations in the network. With TBaaS from VIAVI and VMware, RIC applications address the need for simulations using realistic data. VIAVI provides geolocation intelligence and xApps/rApps, with real RAN data over the VMware RIC platform. This allows a CSP to capture information once and emulate it with multiple other applications, reducing the overhead of repeatedly capturing, processing and transmitting data. In addition, the RAN Scenario Generator within the TeraVM RIC Test allows developers and operators to model scenarios in the lab, either prior to launch or in environments where large volumes of real data are unavailable. Data captured can also be used for training AI/ML models. According to a survey of 3,000 U.S. business owners and managers, the majority of respondents successfully realized AI’s potential to reduce cost. Perhaps, more interesting, the findings from software vendor AIPRM showed where companies are applying AI to save money. And among respondents that were able to reduce costs by using AI, the number one place they applied the technology is to replace activities regarding “predicting customer behavior.” According to analysts from Dell’Oro Group, worldwide data center capex is forecast for a CAGR of 18 percent, as investments shift toward AI. The research firm anticipates accelerated computing that optimizes AI workloads will account for a quarter of the data center capex. “Accelerated computing optimized for domain specific workloads such as AI is forecast to exceed $200 billion by 2028, with the majority of the investments deployed by the hyperscale cloud service providers,” said Baron Fung, senior research director at Dell’Oro Group. “In order to drive longterm sustainable growth, the cloud service providers will seek to streamline general-purpose computing infrastructure costs by transitioning to next-generation server platforms and rack-scale architectures.” Fung also anticipated increased vertical integration efforts by the hyperscalers to control costs and bring further optimizations for their full stack. Meanwhile, the enterprise segment faces near-term headwinds related to economic uncertainties and will adopt a hybrid cloud model for AI and traditional IT workloads, explained Fung. Dell’Oro’s findings also showed that by 2028, the top four U.S.-based cloud providers — Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft — will account for half of global data center capex. Testbed-aaS to Advance Digital Twin Environments Where AI’s Applied to Reduce Cost Accelerated Computing Pushes Data Center Capex Spend EMERGENT 8 CHANNELVISION | MARCH - APRIL 2024 Most Common Tasks Replaced with AI Task % replacing task with AI Predicting customer behavior 83% Automating repetitive tasks 76% Budget planning 76% More accurate forecasting 73% Improving customer experience 67% Source: AIPRM survey of U.S. businesses
EMERGENT As is happening in other software categories, AI is expected to have significant impacts in 2024 within the partner relationships management (PRM) space, amplifying its efforts to automate partner management processes and deliver a more efficient, effective and personalized partner experience. Proponents see the technology evolving beyond its current use of automating tasks into playing a pivotal role in re-shaping how companies interact and manage their channels. Consider, for example, check-ins and updates that can help boost revenue without a human touch, said Kris Blackmon, head of channel communities at Zift Solutions and member of the CompTIA SaaS Ecosystem Advisory Council. “Channel chiefs will use AI to tier partners based on alignment, scope and reach and combine it with automation to personalize to-partner communications while also empowering partners to personalize vendor content for more effective outreach to prospects.” Already, we’re seeing such activity within the communications and business IT channels. Following in the footsteps of technology solutions distributors (TSDs) that have made efforts to automate and streamline their partner experiences, both Clarus Communications and AppDirect have announced AI-enhanced partner tools, both of which are expected to ramp up in the second quarter of this year. Clarus Communications, for its part, took a leap forward in the way its partners obtain quotes for telecom, internet and fiber services with the introduction of an AI-powered assistant named Charlie. All too often, explained executives at the TSD, agents spend significant time navigating various platforms and carrier systems in order to get accurate quotes for their clients. With Charlie, this oncecumbersome process is simplified to a few clicks, providing the ability to instantly access quotes for business technology and telecom services at any location across the country. “Whether a partner is working with a client in bustling New York City or a remote town in Wyoming, Charlie can quickly retrieve quotes tailored to the specific location’s telecom infrastructure,” said the company. Soon gone are the days of waiting for carrier representatives to send over pricing details. Charlie connects directly to carrier databases and provides real-time pricing information, ensuring partners always have quick access to the most up-to-date rates and plans. In addition to quotes, Charlie connects partners to order tracking, commission rates, incentive information, serviceability checks and more. It also offers personalized recommendations based By Martin Vilaboy AI officially enters PRM and the sub-agent experience Partnering Smarter 10 CHANNELVISION | MARCH - APRIL 2024
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on the client’s needs and preferences. “Partners can rely on Charlie to suggest the best telecom solution for their clients, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty,” said the company. Utilizing an intuitive user-friendly interface and intuitive design, Charlie was created to make it easy for even the least tech-savvy professionals to navigate the system effortlessly. And it can integrate with existing platforms and systems so Clarus partners can continue to use their preferred tools while benefiting from Charlie’s quoteretrieval capabilities. TSD and SaaS marketplace AppDirect, meanwhile, is busy working to develop its AI Marketplace solution, which allows partners to easily create no-code, personalized AI bots that operate off data from AppDirect’s supplier marketplace and internal sales enablement data, as well as a partner’s own chosen proprietary data. In cases where partners do input data, that data would reside on a “vector database” that AppDirect hosts and manages, as opposed to the trusted advisor sending its data directly to OpenAI, explained Peush Patel, AppDirect’s vice president of product management, in a blog post surrounding the solution’s introduction. “AppDirect’s AI Marketplace is designed to empower users to easily transform AI bot ideas into reality without needing any coding skills, while also offering a secure platform for sharing and effectively monetizing bots in various marketplaces,” said the company. Partners can build AI bots based on their choice of popular large language models, such as ChatGPT, Llama, Bard or Cohere. By providing specific training data, including files, websites and drives, users can program AI bots to focus on the work they need to accomplish. Technology advisors even could train their AI bot to deliver new business insights for upsell opportunities, said AppDirect. The resultant bots can be private, available to an organization or eventually shared and monetized on the Marketplace. According to Patel, the idea for AI Marketplace started as a proprietary application AppDirect was building as a customer service and sales bot. This “painfully excruciating” experience left his team thinking about the issues AppDirect channel partners would face building their own internal chatbots, Patel said. “We realized that if this was so painful for us, it’s going to be so painful for everybody else in the market. We have a 250-person engineering team today,” he continued. “So, what about small companies with 15, 20, 100 employees? They don’t have the technical skills. They don’t have all the resources at their disposal. So, they need a no-code solution.” The bots eventually will pull information on actual orders and payments, which would be of particular interest to technology advisors that frequently express the desire for increased visibility and automation from their distributor’s digital platforms when it comes to the status of their orders, said Patel. Initially, a select number of technology advisor firms are testing out the chatbots. After collecting feedback in Q1, AppDirect will make its AI Marketplace available to more partners, said Patel. Those partners’ end user customers who possess an AppDirect account will eventually get access, as well. Elsewhere in the channel, PRM and through-channel marketing automation platform provider Zift Solutions recently unveiled its ZiftONE AI Assistant, what the company calls the industry’s first generative AI solution designed to assist partners with content discovery and guidance for an enhanced and more efficient partner portal experience. The ZiftONE AI Assistant addresses the industry-wide struggle of resource constraints, said the company. By leveraging AI to create a virtual channel account manager, it assists partners in discovering the right content for their needs and guides them on the next best action for the task they are undertaking. Through intelligent task automation, constructive conversation and content automation, the platform enables Zift customers to accomplish more in less time with fewer resources. ZiftONE AI Assistant will become available in March, as a new feature on the ZiftONE platform, an all-in-one solution for managing partner marketing activities, onboarding, training and performance tracking all in one place. There’s no doubt, effective channel management can be a time and laborintensive process, particularly for solution providers and distributors that must simultaneously support hundreds, if not thousands, of partners and sub-agents with marketing, onboarding, training, lead generation and dealclosing support. Too often this is done through highly manual, home-grown or resource-intensive tools and processes. So it’s no surprise partner management and enablement are among the early software categories to leverage the power and efficiency provided by AI capabilities. Indeed, the above examples are likely just the beginning of a much bigger shift in PRM and channel management. It appears inflationary pressures are going to continue to press through 2024, and buyers – after two years of seemingly absorbing higher prices – are increasingly pushing back on higher input costs being pushed their way. In turn, vendors and distributors are being forced to do more with less, and AI can suddenly turn what was once impossible or highly impractical – across a vast array of customers, partners and products – into an almost ordinary, if not mundane, task. o EMERGENT AppDirect AI Marketplace demo sign-in screen 12 CHANNELVISION | MARCH - APRIL 2024
YES THE SPECTRUM PARTNER PROGRAM. Services subject to all applicable service terms & conditions, which are subject to change. Services not avail. in all areas. Restrictions apply. ©2023 Charter Communications. LEARN MORE AT PARTNERS.SPECTRUM.COM INTERNET | VOICE | MOBILE | TV | NETWORKING | MANAGED SERVICES Is there a provider that will solve my clients’ needs and grow my business? “ Expand your reach to meet the needs of your existing clients and connect with new ones. Depending on your client and your business needs, we offer a variety of commission models to help you grow your business. Close more deals with solutions for small businesses to large enterprises to multi-family residential communities. NATIONWIDE COVERAGE. ONE PROVIDER. MORE WAYS TO EARN. SERVE CLIENTS OF ALL SIZES. “
Navigating AI Integration By Richard Acreman Strategic steps for successful Copilot deployments As businesses increasingly integrate AI tools into their operations, Copilot for Microsoft 365 stands as a significant milestone in enterprise technology. However, its deployment in a large, global organization presents unique challenges. As part of the early adoption program for Copilot, our company Reply (www. reply.com/en) had the opportunity to experience this first-hand and, as a result, I look to share what I consider some essential steps for a successful rollout, focusing on technical readiness, user adoption, data governance and future extensibility. Before jumping into our experience, it’s important to understand exactly what Microsoft Copilot for 365 is and where it differs from other AI tools such as, for example, ChatGPT. While both are advanced AI tools, they serve different purposes and cater to distinct needs. Copilot for Microsoft 365 is a sophisticated productivity enhancer that integrates AI capabilities across various Microsoft applications – functioning similarly to ChatGPT but with a specialized focus on utilizing company-specific data. For example, Copilot is adept at creating tangible outputs such as documents, presentations and meeting notes, and is versatile enough to adapt to different applications, including Excel and PowerPoint. ChatGPT, on the other hand, is a more generalized conversational AI capable of a wide range of text generation tasks such as dialogues, creative writing and coding. So why would a company want to use Copilot? Perhaps the most obvious answer is that it represents an excellent tool for improved productivity – it is great at tasks such as drafting emails, creating presentations and analyzing data, leveraging the specific context and data of an organization’s Microsoft 365 environment to provide customized support for officerelated work. Understanding what Copilot can do for an organization is only a precursor and before getting started, companies should be sure they are fully prepared across these key areas. Technical Readiness: The Foundation Deploying Copilot for Microsoft 365 requires a solid technical foundation. At a minimum, prerequisites include: • Applications including Excel, Word and PowerPoint must be deployed organization-wide. • Essential services such as Entra ID and OneDrive must be enabled for all users. • Users should be on the current or monthly enterprise channel for M365 apps. • Compliance with M365 connectivity principles is crucial for optimal functionality. Data Governance: Securing the Core Incorporating Copilot for Microsoft 365 opens exciting opportunities for secure, compliant and responsible AI usage. Through robust data governance using SharePoint Advanced Management and Microsoft Purview, organizations can confidently protect sensitive data, ensure adherence to regulatory standards, and uphold data integrity. This proactive framework not only shields against unauthorized access and data breaches but also enhances the effectiveness of AI tools. They deliver precise, tailored and compliant services, thanks to features such as sensitivity labeling and data loss prevention. Embracing these governance tools is a powerful step in leveraging AI’s potential safely, making data governance a cornerstone of a successful and forwardthinking AI strategy with Copilot for Microsoft 365. 14 CHANNELVISION | MARCH - APRIL 2024 EMERGENT
Licensing and Maximizing Value with Copilot Copilot for Microsoft 365 is not just an expenditure but an investment in enhancing organizational efficiency. A strategic approach to licensing ensures your customers get the most out of their investment. Tailoring the rollout to different user groups ensures that each segment derives maximum benefit from Copilot’s capabilities. This targeted deployment strategy should align with an organization’s business objectives, pinpointing areas where Copilot can significantly boost productivity. Establishing clear, measurable criteria for ROI assessment ensures that Copilot’s adoption directly contributes to business goals, making it a cost-effective and valueadding solution. Beyond technical readiness and data governance, the focus shifts to adoption and impact measurement. Engaging users through structured communication, tailored training and effective change management strategies is crucial for maximizing Copilot’s utility. Regularly evaluating its effectiveness helps in making informed decisions and strengthens the business case for Copilot. Planning for future integration with external systems and continuous enhancement of organizational processes ensures that Copilot remains a vital tool for long-term business success. Adoption Strategy: Fostering Enthusiasm and Engagement Successful adoption of Copilot for Microsoft 365 starts with cultivating a group of early adopters and champions who are passionate about its benefits. This group plays a pivotal role in driving wider engagement by showcasing the practical advantages of Copilot and sharing their positive experiences. Tailored communication, personalized training and a robust change management plan are key elements in building this momentum. Engaging these advocates not only accelerates adoption but also fosters a supportive environment where they can mentor and assist others in understanding Copilot’s functionality. Their hands-on involvement can significantly ease the transition for the rest of the workforce. It’s natural to encounter some resistance when introducing new technology. Acknowledging and addressing concerns is crucial for a smooth adoption process. By managing hesitations and aligning expectations with Copilot’s capabilities, users become more receptive to the change. This strategic approach ensures a well-supported transition, leading to enhanced productivity and a more empowered workforce across the organization. Measuring Success and Building a Business Case In our experience, and as we have worked with other organizations to implement Copilot, we’ve found that it is imperative to measure success at regular intervals in order to build a business case for its broader deployment. This can be accomplished through a combination of regular surveys, AB testing, and industry benchmark comparisons. Using these methods provided insights into the tool’s impact and effectiveness within specific business units. Planning for the future expansion of Copilot for Microsoft 365 across an organization involves enhanced integration with external systems. This process includes developing specific plugins to perform unique tasks and assimilating data from various business systems, to enrich Copilot’s functionality. Such integrations aim to provide a more seamless and efficient user experience, making Copilot not just a tool for the present but a scalable solution that can adapt to an organization’s future needs and technological advancements. The deployment of Copilot for Microsoft 365 in large organizations requires a detailed strategic approach that encompasses technical readiness, establishing robust data governance, fostering user adoption, measuring the tool’s impact, and more. My hope is that by methodically addressing these key areas, your customers will be able to significantly elevate productivity and improve the decision-making processes with Copilot. o Richard Acreman, managing partner at Reply, leads a team focused on leveraging Microsoft Cloud Solutions to transform businesses into intelligent enterprises. With a commitment to strategic outcomes and user-centric design, his team utilizes Microsoft technologies to rapidly and securely reshape business operations. Top 4 Concerns Around Implementing Generative AI Quality and Control (e.g., the risk of losing control over the content, misinformation and/or deep fakes) 51% Safety and security risks (e.g., cyberattacks and data breaches) 49% Limiting human innovation (e.g., workforce relying too heavily on generative AI technologies) 39% Human error (e.g., lack of understanding how to use the tool and accidental human-driven data breaches) 38% Source: Insight Primary Drivers for Adopting Generative AI Employee productivity 72% Engaging customers (e.g. chatbot) 66% Research & development 53% Automate software development 50% Personalized CX 44% Marketing and creative work 44% Automate human workflows 44% Market and business insights 44% Insight discovery from data 42% Supply chain management 41% Inventory management 40% Source: Insight 16 CHANNELVISION | MARCH - APRIL 2024 EMERGENT
18 CHANNELVISION | MARCH - APRIL 2024 The trend is mostly occurring among large organizations that rushed into the cloud before or during the pandemic. It also applies to cloud-native companies that are investing in on-premises storage and computing resources. While it’s highly unlikely that repatriation will turn into a large-scale exodus from the cloud, the latest data suggests that repatriation is becoming more popular. A recent Citrix study reveals that 42 percent of organizations surveyed in the U.S. are either considering or have already moved at least half of their cloudbased workloads back to on-premises infrastructures, while 94 percent of IT leaders have been involved with a cloud repatriation project in the last three years. The top drivers for moving cloud-based workloads back on-premises include unexpected security issues (41 percent), high project expectations (29 percent) and failure to meet or properly set internal expectations (23 percent). Of course, cloud adoption is still accelerating — especially among small organizations that lack the resources or desire to build and maintain private data centers. “To be clear, the cloud isn’t going anywhere,” said Veritas senior vice president of global VIRTUAL REALITIES Interest in cloud repatriation is growing, with companies strategically migrating workloads back to on-premises environments By Gerald Baldino Repatriation Realities
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VIRTUAL REALITIES channels and alliances Mike Walkey. “Its benefits — agility, innovation and scalability — are very real, and it’s important organizations take advantage of them. However, companies are realizing that, for all these benefits, the cloud is not a cost-effective silver bullet for every kind of application and data. In fact, IDC estimates that 70 to 80 percent of companies will repatriate at least some data this year.” The Shift to Hybrid Multi-Cloud Walkey views repatriation as part of a wider shift to hybrid multi-cloud computing, adding that “while cloudfirst is still a legitimate approach for new companies, in the long-term cloud-only is becoming less and less common, just as is on-premises-only.” “The end result of cloud repatriation is not a return to only on-premises computing,” Walkey explained. “It’s an increase in hybrid multi-cloud computing, where cloud services are still key. That said, it may be beneficial for partners to explore offerings that better facilitate hybrid multi-cloud computing, including tools or services that make managing and protecting customers’ entire data estates — from edge to core to cloud — more effective and efficient.” Colotraq CEO Dany Bouchedid compares the new era of hybridization to using rideshare services, with organizations becoming more selective about where they place workloads. “Unless you’re a Manhattanite, you probably have at least one car of your own,” said Bouchedid. “At the same time, you probably also use Uber and Lyft. The same thing is happening in IT and telecom infrastructure. There’s certain use cases and workloads that don’t make sense to completely virtualize on a public cloud.” Not everyone is sold on the idea of full cloud repatriation, with some analysts and consultants dismissing it as a myth and a passing trend. Part of the problem, they argue, is that repatriation is generally viewed as a quick fix for rushed migrations. And it’s up for debate as to whether moving data and applications back out of the cloud is the best way forward. “A few genuine situations might prompt the need to move applications out of the public cloud: poor planning or an application developed in the public cloud that was designed to run on-premises,” said Emma Chervek via SDxCentral. “In that first situation, cloud repatriation doesn’t actually offer any advantages; it’s more of a triage effort. In the second instance, an organization can avoid repatriation by using cloud-native DevOps technologies to develop the applications and workloads in the public cloud and optimized for that environment.” While Walkey tends to agree that full cloud repatriation is a myth, based on conversations he’s having “there’s no doubt it’s happening with some applications and data.” “It’s important to remember there are two competing sides: data center hardware makers and cloud service providers,” Walkey said. “Understandably, both want as much of your clients’ business as they can get. But the reality is somewhere in the middle — for most organizations, neither cloud nor on-premises is an ideal one-size-fits-all solution for all applications and data.” Which of the following best describes your organization’s reason for moving applications from public cloud? Source: Uptime Institute; 2022 In the past 12 months, has your organization moved (i.e., permanently terminated) any of it’s production applications from a public cloud provider to a colocation facility or to your own data center(s) Source: Uptime Institute, 2022 Source: Uptime Institute, 2022 What if anything do you consider the most vulnerable vectors for ransomware attacks? (Tick up to two) Cloud spending was greater than expected Performance was not as expected Other We did not experience a data security breach, but we now believe public cloud is insecure A change in legislation / compliance made public cloud inappropriate for our applications Developing / supporting cloud applications was more challenging than expected Yes (to our own data center/s) Yes (to a colocation facility) No We experienced a data security breach Cloud Applications Email Privileged access Endpoints 42% 19% 0% 19% 42% 7% 5% 25% 8% 65% 44% 39% 37% 36% 35% 42% 27% 52% 29% 16% Which statement best describes the overall impact to your organization of moving applications from the public cloud? I has somewhat reduced our level of public cloud usage 59% There has been no change in our level of public cloud usage 23% It has significantly reduced our level of public cloud usage 8% We are no longer using public cloud 6% It has increased our level of public cloud usage 6% Source: Uptime Institute; 2022 20 CHANNELVISION | MARCH - APRIL 2024
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VIRTUAL REALITIES How Partners Can Help Navigate Repatriation Word is spreading about the potential cost-saving benefits that can be achieved by shifting workloads back-on premises. In one high profile example, 37signals has already saved $1 million through repatriation, with CTO David Heinemeier Hansson predicting savings will eventually reach $10 million. As a result, channel partners need to be ready to advise customers about repatriation and help them make intelligent decisions about migrations. “Cloud-native companies bringing some applications and data on-premises will need help from resellers acquiring the hardware infrastructure and management software to build out their data centers,” Walkey continued. “Similarly, both mature organizations and cloud-native companies will need help from GSIs as they navigate integrations in their hybrid multi-cloud infrastructures.” What’s more, many mature organizations redeployed data center staff as part of their cloud journeys, and many cloud-native companies simply never had them in the first place, Walkey continued. “In both cases, there’s a talent and skills gap that MSPs can help fill,” he said. Above all else, it’s important to approach customers from a consultative and vendor-agnostic position. As Bouchedid explained, the repatriation trend started from companies migrating quickly into the cloud without fully understanding their own workloads. Bouchedid recommends partners spend time conducting comprehensive workload assessments, and right sizing solutions that make sense for customers and their needs. “Sit down with your customers from a consultative standpoint,” said Bouchedid. “Don’t start pushing products and acronyms. Instead, it’s better to conduct deep IT assessments. If you do not know how, or that’s not your core expertise, there’s companies you can partner with.” Walkey also recommends partners be discerning when moving applications and data back on-premises. “The most important thing is to carefully consider what applications and data are better suited for the cloud, and which are better for an on-premises data center,” Walkey said. “Drivers for one or the other often include performance, cost, security and compliance requirements. Help your customers be deliberate with any cloud repatriation they decide to do by carefully planning and executing the move. You and they should fully understand, document and monitor the objectives and timelines plus compatibility, resource, security and compliance requirements.” Partners should also be mindful that repatriation can be risky, and things can go wrong. As such, Walkey advises taking steps to protect client workloads. “No matter where your customers’ applications and data are, you should be guiding them to use the 3-2-1 backup rule,” Walkey explained. “Have at least three copies on at least two different media with at least one on air-gapped immutable storage.” If clients do this, Walkey says, data loss during cloud repatriation will not be as much of a threat. “Security vulnerabilities and regulatory compliance are also concerning no matter where applications and data reside,” Walkey concluded. “Mature companies repatriating applications and data they previously moved to the cloud are hopefully already equipped to keep both their cloud and on-premises data secure and compliant, but cloudnative companies moving applications and data onsite for the first time can make their new hybrid multi-cloud infrastructures just as secure and compliant. This is yet another opportunity for channel partners.” o Source: Uptime Institute; 2022 In the past 12 months, has your organization moved (i.e., permanently terminated) any of it’s production applications from a public cloud provider to a colocation facility or to your own data center(s) Source: Uptime Institute, 2022 Source: Uptime Institute, 2022 What if anything do you consider the most vulnerable vectors for ransomware attacks? (Tick up to two) Source: Delinea, survey of security and IT professionals Cyberthreats are now too advanced for the organization to deal with on their own Yes (to our own data center/s) Yes (to a colocation facility) No Cloud Applications Email Privileged access Endpoints I don’t consider anything to be a most vulnerable vector 25% 8% 65% 44% 39% 37% 36% 35% 1% 42% 27% 52% 29% 16% 6% 2023 2022 Less than $10 million 41% 22 CHANNELVISION | MARCH - APRIL 2024
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The cybersecurity channel is off to a white hot start this year, with security budgets up from 2023, and more companies making investments to protect against emerging threats. In a recent Canalys poll, four out of every five channel partners expected their cybersecurity business to increase in 2024. Canalys also predicts cybersecurity managed services revenue will grow 15 percent this year, outpacing total managed services revenue in the channel. Customers today face a dynamic threat landscape, with adversaries increasingly leveraging automation, AI and cybercrime “as-a-service” models to launch and scale attacks. All businesses are at risk today, regardless of their size or the industry they play in. Based on a recent Sophos report, companies are having a difficult time keeping pace with threat actors. Fifty-two percent of respondents said cyberthreats are too advanced to deal with on their own, while 93 percent find it challenging to execute essential By Gerald Baldino CYBER PATROL 26 CHANNELVISION | MARCH - APRIL 2024 Security Spotlight A look at this year’s top cybersecurity drivers and trends — and the value of a risk-based mindset
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security operations. And 99 percent of IT professionals said they are concerned about cyberthreats impacting their organization. • Security control misconfiguration is the most widely perceived security risk, according to Sophos. Researchers also discovered a direct correlation between tool misconfigurations and the industry’s skills shortage, with companies lacking the time, knowledge and experience to configure controls correctly. • Data exfiltration is the threat IT professionals are most concerned about, followed by phishing and ransomware. A separate Delinea study revealed almost all aspects of ransomware worsened in 2023. Data exfiltration also rose as a prominent motivation in ransomware attacks last year, while traditional money grabs plummeted. • Distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS) are a top concern for 32 percent of respondents in the Sophos report, indicating a growing need for enhanced WAN security — particularly for global companies with distributed users and services. • Cloud migrations and SaaS deployments are exposing companies to a much wider range of threats. According to Tenable, two-thirds of cloud decision makers (68 percent) said cloud deployments — including public and hybrid instances — are their organization’s biggest exposure risk. • Artificial intelligence is now being used by threat actors for a variety of tasks such as phishing emails, password cracking and brute force attacks. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre expects cyberattacks to increase in volume and severity during the next two years. Kaspersky also recently observed a rise in dark web discussions on the illicit use of ChatGPT and other large language models, which indicates that threat actors have a rising interest in exploiting AI technologies. Cyber Channel Trends for 2024 For the latest insights, ChannelVision caught up with C3 Complete’s vice president of information security Jonathan Cox, who recently joined the company following its acquisition of Compliance Solutions’ cybersecurity business unit. Cox sees an incredible opportunity surfacing in the industry for cybersecurity partners, with threat actors evolving and becoming more aggressive with tools such as ransomware and AI. To seize the opportunity, Cox recommends taking the time to understand how various products and services can fill gaps in client bases. CYBER PATROL 28 Thinking about 2023, which cyberthreats are you most concerned about affecting your organization? Type to Cyberthreat % Say Top Concern Data exfiltration (theft by an external attacker) 41% Phishing (including spear phishing) 40% Ransomware 35% Cyber extortion 33% Denial of service attacks (DDoS) 32% Business email compromise 31% Active adversaries (human hands-on-keyboard attackers) 30% Mobile malware 30% Cryptominers 22% Wipers 16% I am not concerned about any cyber threats affecting my organization in 2023 1% Source: Sophos; survey of IT professionals Source: Uptime Institute, 2022 What if anything do you consider the most vulnerable vectors for ransomware attacks? (Tick up to two) Source: Delinea, survey of security and IT professionals Cyberthreats are now too advanced for the organization to deal with on their own Source: Sophos, survey of IT professionals Cloud Applications Email Privileged access Endpoints I don’t consider anything to be a most vulnerable vector 44% 39% 37% 36% 35% 1% 42% 27% 52% 29% 16% 6% 2023 2022 Less than $10 million $10-$50 million $50-$250 million $250-$500 million $500 millon to $1 billion $1 billion to $5 billion $5 billion plus 41% 42% 48% 50% 55% 55% 60% In what area, if any, do you invest the most prevent ransonware? (Tick up to two) CHANNELVISION | MARCH - APRIL 2024
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CYBER PATROL “Of course, there’s a broad range when it comes to cybersecurity regarding how many different categories can have associated products,” Cox explained. “One trend that I’m noticing is there is high demand for good, engaged security operations centers that are proactive with the client base and making sure those systems are tuned very well.” Cox pointed to Fortra’s Alert Logic and Arctic Wolf as noteworthy options in the growing SOC space. “Take some time to understand each provider’s value play in terms of SIEM capabilities, including their approach to log monitoring and management for compliance, as well as their integration with MDM and MDRs to facilitate cross-platform transparency and expedite threat assessments,” added Cox. Companies across the board are also struggling with rising complexity in their software development lifecycles. This is a big issue for SaaS providers, and a potential pathway to revenue for partners that can provide transparency. “Companies have rushed many new technologies into the software development lifecycle over the last 36 months or so, including new infrastructures, cross-cloud integrations, API communications and containers,” said Cox. “This is creating a new set of security challenges. Companies need to improve security without having to spend countless cycles from the development team to get that clear dashboard.” Cox mentioned the benefits of working with a SaaS security management provider such as Start Left, which helps teams discover and eliminate risks in their CI/CD, cloud infrastructure and products for faster shipments with fewer security errors. “Providers like Start Left can help mature your software development lifecycles and gain better visibility without having to invest significant manpower,” explained Cox. Risk-based Approach Some additional services to keep on your radar in 2024 include managed firewall, IoT security and endpoint management. Of note, more than three quarters of respondents in the Sophos report plan on adding endpoint detection and response (EDR) and/or extended detection and response (XDR) tools in the near future. And 44 percent of organizations are planning to work with a managed detection and response (MDR) provider. “Those are all critical services that are not going away any time soon,” Cox said. “If anything, you need to be looking at the firewall vendors — specifically their integration strategies and how their technologies can protect the business inline processes that are the cash-generating aspects of clients. And how have their emerging AI, log management and SOC operational aspects been improved to protect inline business processes so that you can provide better ROI and value to those services that exist?” Simply put, selling cybersecurity services can still be challenging — especially when engaging with reactive buyers who prefer to respond during or after an attack. As a result, it’s important to be tactful when selling. Cox recommends wrapping conversations around risk management. This can help to shift conversations away from talking about products and more toward protecting business risks and cash flows. “If we could take that time to understand a risk-based approach to cybersecurity, this is going to help streamline the process and provide more value on the ROIs for the spend that we’re asking clients, customers and consumers to buy in these technology stacks and solutions,” Cox said. Cox also mentioned the importance of working with partners that understand the value of risk management. And if you don’t have them, Cox says, find out who those partners are and connect with them. “They will be able to lead you in a path that will provide value quickly to the C-level suite,” Cox concluded. “You’re going to have a lot less resistance on purchase orders if you take this approach.” o 30 CHANNELVISION | MARCH - APRIL 2024 Source: Delinea, survey of security and IT professionals Cyberthreats are now too advanced for the organization to deal with on their own Source: Sophos, survey of IT professionals Less than $10 million $10-$50 million $50-$250 million $250-$500 million $500 millon to $1 billion $1 billion to $5 billion $5 billion plus 41% 42% 48% 50% 55% 55% 60% In what area, if any, do you invest the most prevent ransonware? (Tick up to two) Source: Delinea, survey of security and IT professionals 39% 37% 31% 30% 28% 28% 1% 43% 35% 15% 21% 22% 16% 16% Network security Cloud security Endpoint security Application security Identify and access management Privileged access management We don’t invest the most to prevent ransomware in any area 2023 2022
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