Sophos and Arcserve have expanded an alliance and deepened integrations across their cybersecurity and data protection software. The integrations ensure MSPs and MSSPs can protect on-premises, cloud, and SaaS-based workloads from ransomware attacks and data loss, the two companies say.
The overall effort involves a suite that combines anti-ransomware and other threat prevention technologies with backup and disaster recovery (BDR) capabilities for protection from cyberattacks, major disasters, human error, or other unplanned outages, Sophos and Arcserve say.
Behind the Partnership
The growing Sophos-Arcserve relationship initially surfaced in September 2019 with the Arcserve Appliances Secured by Sophos, Fast forward to May 2020, and the relationship has expanded to include:
- Arcserve Cloud Backup for Office 365 Secured by Sophos; and
- Arcserve Unified Data Protection (UDP) Cloud Hybrid Secured by Sophos.
In a prepared statement about the relationship, Arcserve CTO Oussama El-Hilali said:
“The future of protecting businesses is through the power of integration. Given the alarming escalation of ransomware attacks globally, it’s no longer realistic to silo cybersecurity and data protection strategies and prevent the negative consequences from cyberattacks. We continue to expand our alliance with Sophos to introduce solutions that will do more than backup and manage data; taking it a step further with capabilities necessary to withstand any threat. Ultimately, adopting a proactive and multi-tiered approach to ransomware will be what sets cyber ready businesses apart from those that, quite simply, are not.”
Data Protection and Cybersecurity: Software Competition
The Arcserve-Sophos relationship reflects a growing market trend: Backup, disaster recovery and data protection companies are increasingly partnering with cybersecurity companies to safeguard data systems from ransomware. Some of the relationships also involve M&A deals.
Rivals of note that serve MSPs and MSSPs include:
- Acronis Cyber Protect, a service that spans backup and disaster recovery (BDR), anti-malware, cybersecurity, and endpoint management tools. MSPs can manage the integrated service from a single management console, the company says.
- OpenText’s small business software unit — blending Carbonite and Webroot — has a Cyber Resilience strategy for MSPs.
- MSP platform technology providers such as Barracuda, Kaseya and SolarWinds each offer software suites that span data protection and cybersecurity.
- ConnectWise gained cybersecurity services and a niche BDR platform from the Continuum acquisition, and also owns a stake in Perch Security.
- Datto has a big installed base of data protection services, and also works closely with a range of cybersecurity technology companies.
Mergers and Acquisitions?
So what's next? Keep an eye on Marlin Equity Partners, a private equity firm that has owned Arcserve since 2014. Marlin was shopping Arcserve to potential buyers in early 2020, reports say, though no company sale has surfaced so far. We're curious to see if Sophos, now owned by Thoma Bravo, would ever consider bidding for Arcserve -- though we don't have any evidence that such a move could occur.
