Security operations center-as-a-service (SOCaaS) provider Arctic Wolf Networks (AWN) has announced a "100 percent channel strategy." Going forward, AWN will provide its products and services exclusively through its U.S. and Canadian channel partners.
It sounds like both a sell-to (MSP and MSSP) and sell-through (from partner to end-customer) strategy. The move comes at a key time for both Arctic Wolf Networks and the broader MSP and MSSP ecosystems.
Backed by $45 million in Series C funding from October 2018, the company wants to further accelerate its growth. At the same time, some smaller MSPs have been scrambling (and often struggling) to find a SOC as a Service solution that offers the right mix of simplicity, power and pricing, according to MSSP Alert conversations at several major and regional IT partner conferences this past year.
For its part, Arctic Wolf Networks has invested in its channel team and developed a new partner portal that provides go-to-market demand support and on-demand training, the company said. In doing so, AWN enables channel partners to offer managed detection and response (MDR) as a value-add solution or service.
Arctic Work Networks: The Partner Strategy
In a prepared statement, Arctic Wolf Networks' Chief Revenue Officer Nick Schneider said:
“Our channel strategy has always been at the core of our go-to-market vision. Moving our go-to-market strategy to ‘100 percent channel’ will help Arctic Wolf capitalize on the rapidly growing cybersecurity market for managed detection and response (MDR) and vulnerability assessment, while enabling our channel partners to become a true extension of our team and our team an extension of theirs. We have always operated as a channel first organization, and this significant step demonstrates our dedication to that mentality and approach.”
AWN's channel partner program enables MSSPs and other technology resellers to incorporate CyberSOC, a SOCaaS offering, into their portfolios. CyberSOC capabilities include:
- Concierge Security Team: Provides access to Concierge Security Engineers who perform security assessments and offer security recommendations.
- MDR: Protects against known and unknown cyber threats.
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Replacement: Delivers vulnerability and threat intelligence to reduce false-positive security alerts.
Arctic Wolf Networks: Partner Strategy History
The SOCaaS provider has a lengthy list of partnerships in place. Key relationships and/or integrations include ConnectWise, Ingram Micro, Splunk and may others. Key Arctic Wolf Networks adopters include LDM Global, Secure Data Technologies,
CyberSOC offers a turnkey SOCaaS solution to help channel partners become trusted security advisors, AWN said. It also enables channel partners to drive recurring revenue and capitalize on a global MDR market that is projected to grow.
Global MDR market revenues are expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31.6 percent between 2017 and 2022, industry analyst Reportlinker stated. Furthermore, these revenues could total nearly $1.7 billion by 2022.
SOCaaS & Master MSSPs: Fragmented Market
Still, competition in the SOCaaS market for MSPs and MSSPs continues to intensify. In addition to Arctic Wolf Networks, the following companies are working in and around the market to assist partners with outsourced SOCs or SOCaaS, or with Master MSSP services.
To be clear, some of the companies listed above are not 100 percent head-to-head competitors. But in many cases, they have overlapping products or services that allow MSPs and MSSPs to automate, white label and/or outsource SOC services to a third party.
Additional insights from Joe Panettieri.
