As someone who has worked in the technology space for over a decade, I often hear from Managed Service Providers (MSPs) who are frustrated by the amount of research, problem-solving time, and day-to-day management that is required to provide comprehensive cybersecurity to their clients. Adequately protecting clients from the growing landscape of cybersecurity threats gets more challenging every day.

For service providers, most of their pain points center around three areas:

Tools: Working with multiple platforms and disjointed software products is complex. It’s frustrating and time-consuming for MSPs when cybersecurity tools do not integrate well or talk to each other.
Technology: Cybersecurity technology is constantly changing. It’s time-consuming and challenging for many MSPs to stay on top of all the latest product developments, new tech, and best practices that will help them stay ahead of threats and protect their clients.
Talent: Today’s MSPs have a lot on their plates, and their teams are overwhelmed. Many providers don’t have in-house cybersecurity experts or 24/7 resources to provide robust prevention, management and remediation of threats.

Finding the right support

The good news is that MSPs don’t have to battle these frustrations on their own. Finding a cybersecurity partner can relieve your team’s cybersecurity fatigue while making sure your clients are protected.

The right partner can take on the burden of researching and selecting the right cybersecurity software tools for your business, as well as managing the solution after it is installed. Make sure you choose a cybersecurity solution that utilizes enterprise-grade, constantly updated tools and software.

It is also helpful to work with a partner that has strong and influential relationships with software and technology providers—especially when quick product support or remediation is needed.

For example, Ostra’s proprietary infrastructure and architecture offers a comprehensive 24/7, 360-degree cybersecurity package that leverages the most secure and proven platforms available today. We configure the very best and latest technologies into one easy-to-install platform, which enables our partners to protect their clients with a simplified solution.

If you are the one responsible for addressing the cybersecurity needs of your organization, it is common to become exhausted by research. It takes time and patience to stay on top of the latest software products, tools, and services on the market.

This is why a holistic, layered approach to cybersecurity is needed. For more details about what this involves, I highly recommend this blog that covers “7 Cybersecurity Must-Haves,” written by Ostra’s founder, Michael Kennedy.

Why is layered cybersecurity essential?

The field of cybersecurity is broad, deep, and ever-changing. Covering all of your clients’ cybersecurity gaps can be a challenge for MSPs—especially with so many technology silos and specialty areas to navigate.

For example, it’s important to think about 24/7 SOC & SIEM coverage, email threat protection, endpoint security, the right firewalls, VPNs and more for your clients. You’ll also want to make sure your solution is backed by human expertise to make the best decisions and act on threat intelligence.

That’s why a layered, proactive approach is essential to protecting small businesses and medium-sized companies from cyber threats. This will help you eliminate threats that others do not—which gives your SMB a competitive advantage.

Partner up for best results

As an MSP, it’s vital to have a cybersecurity expert in your corner, whose advice and quick response you can count on to support your business.

Industry trends show that MSPs are relying more and more on MSPs to separate cybersecurity responsibilities from the rest of the things IT departments are covering, and to make things easier. For example, this Rasmussen University article lists some common cybersecurity problems that most organizations face—including treating cybersecurity like just another IT issue. And this Tech Republic article, “The Rise of the CISO,” illustrates why cybersecurity is its own animal, and can’t just be expected to be absorbed by IT. It needs dedicated resources that can adequately address security threats.

When it comes to a partnership model, Ostra takes a unique approach. Rather than simply signing up channel partners and their customers, Ostra is intentional about partnering with a variety of IT service and solution providers—creating a network that can cover the full range of client and industry needs. This allows Ostra to provide our clients with trusted referrals for their other IT requirements, which also helps our partners grow.

Ostra is committed to helping our network of consultants, IT and Managed Service Providers enhance value for their small to medium-sized business clients by offering comprehensive data protection solutions. Our technology suite—combined with the service expertise of our channel partners—delivers a comprehensive solution that meets the unique IT challenges facing business owners today. Contact Ostra to explore the benefits of partnering with us.

Are you ready for a hassle-free way to provide comprehensive cybersecurity to your clients? Learn how to become a partner today.

Mike Barlow

Mike Barlow is the Senior Director of Channel Success at Ostra Cybersecurity, a multi-layered and fully managed Security as a Service. As a sales leader, Mike Barlow is focused on growing and promoting the long-term success of Ostra’s Channel Partners.