Think A To Z To Complete Security Solutions

Let’s look at it from 30,000 feet. I’m sure you’ve heard that phrase, and it’s the advice from vendors to VARs interested in the security space. Threats to your customers’ businesses come from many sources — the traveling sales force that used Wi-Fi on the road and brings back infected laptops, the visiting advertising agency that needs to connect their Mac to the company’s network printer, and cyber criminals seeking confidential data such as industry plans or financial information. If you want to establish expertise and a solid business practice in the security space, the advice is clear: Take a step back, look at the whole picture in terms of the security needs your customer has, consider the technology offerings available, and then find the hand-tailored solution for your client. If you are already successfully selling security, don’t forget to consider new and emerging threats as a foundation for future growth opportunities.

Educate Your Clients, Yourself
Success in the security space, regardless of specific needs such as data encryption or wireless security, comes down to selecting the right technology for each challenge and for each customer, says Keith Lubner, director of channel sales for AVG, an antivirus and Internet security provider. “VARs need to educate themselves just as much as consumers do when it comes to selecting the right security technology by taking a holistic approach,” he says. ‘Holistic’ was the advice offered by Symantec’s Kevin Murray, senior director of product marketing, but with a slight twist. “Encryption, which is crucial, is just one piece of a customer’s security strategy,” he says. “For example, VARs should think about how encryption technologies support customers’ holistic information protection strategy. It is also critical to do business with an established vendor in the security space, one that can provide a VAR with the tools to execute a comprehensive information protection strategy for its customers.”

If you are looking to expand your existing security practice, Wedge Networks’ CEO Phillip Gee reminds VARs to consider more than just performance in a solution. “By focusing on delivering a solution that provides accuracy, performance, scalability, and reliability to their customers, VARs can ensure satisfaction and loyalty,” says Gee, whose company provides Web security, which works in concert with encryption devices on customer networks. He continues, “Established VARs should look for technology that enhances existing solutions to create competitive advantages and new revenue opportunities.  By building a clear understanding of a new emerging business problem, such as Web-based security threats, and identifying a technology that addresses the key issues, a VAR can achieve success by staying ahead of the curve and solving tomorrow’s problems today.”

Build Business With Eye On Technology Trends
With Gee’s advice in mind, what might be coming in terms of security challenges?
“Today’s online threats are designed to steal anything that can be turned into revenue for the criminals who create and distribute them,” says Lubner. “While we expect to see advancements in the way the threats are designed and delivered, it looks as if the Web will remain the primary delivery mechanism.” Symantec’s Murray agrees that information will remain the target of network breaches. “We’re seeing a growing number of threats targeted at the information itself — not just the network or a device,” he says. “So VARs will continue to see encryption technology as part of a broader security framework.” At Wedge, where the focus is on the gateway, expected trends include larger security solutions at the edge of the network, fueled by several forces. “We expect to see this shift because of the rapid increase in storage area network (SAN) deployments, the adoption of Software as a Service (SaaS) as a valid business practice, the addition of virtual private networks (VPNs) on public networks, and globalization-driven remote branches,” says Gee.

The best way to stay ahead of the trends and prepare your business to roll with those waves of changes returns us to education. “A successful VAR should have a good understanding of the security needs of its customer base and develop strategic partnerships with vendors that offer unique technology that addresses the key issues in the market,” recommends Gee. “Unique products that address the customer’s need can only be built with this kind of partnership, and the reward will be to the VAR that achieves them — in increased profit margin and a growing client base.” Lubner agrees and urges VARs to keep their scope wide. “Don’t focus solely on selling one specific product line, but rather take a multilayered approach,” says Lubner. “Real security can only be achieved with a truly multilayered approach — you have to protect the perimeter, the clients, and everything in between.”

Avoid Common Missteps As You Grow Your Security Offerings
As the security space continues to grow in urgency and complexity, VARs find themselves charged with providing feedback and challenging vendors to continuously evolve as well. Wedge Networks’ Gee urges VARs to push for better and better solutions as they see needs emerge in the marketplace. “A mistake for VARs is not challenging the status quo and being content with existing products,” says Gee. Not only should VARs seek out atypical solutions, they should push vendors who have fallen into a position of ‘comfortable complacency,’ Gee says. He continues by saying VARs also have to push for information about what makes each security product unique in order to find the best solution for each customer. “Some VARs fall prey to the market hype and do not see the succinct differences between product offerings. They need to challenge the vendor to differentiate products by focusing on the detailed product specifications and limitations,” says Gee.

Another common mistake Lubner sees is VARs positioning security and data encryption as a commodity product instead of focusing on educating the customer about security threats and market trends. Additionally, Murray says VARs often get too focused on one single technology or one single tool. “VARs must move to an information-centric security model, taking a risk-based approach to protecting organizations’ most important information — whether that be intellectual property or personal information on employees and customers. To do that, it is critical for organizations to have insight into what sensitive information they have, where it’s stored, and how it’s being used — both on the network and at the endpoint.” He adds that VARs should work with their customers to identify and classify their most critical information and ensure consistent enforcement of security standards around that information wherever it is accessed or used.  Then, adds Gee, “A VAR must pay attention to emerging security threats that impact its customers. As more applications are moving to the Web, knowing more about future threats on the Web is where the focus should be, and VARs need to partner with vendors to introduce products that can address these challenges.”

The three vendors agree that for VARs who want to stay relevant in the security space, understanding the newest threats and how those threats  impact your customers is key. Add to that constant feedback and pressure for security vendors to respond quickly with solutions that don’t bog down the customer’s network, and you are set to be a success in the security space.