Tech Data provides SOCaaS for SME facing resellers

Tech Data has launched a security operation centre-as-a-service (SOCaaS) solution to provide more options for partners looking to added depth to their managed service provider (MSP) offerings.

The distributor, which recently emerged as TD Synnex after the completion of its merger, has set up the SOCaaS option in reaction to changing market conditions, with more customers expecting their channel partners to provide round-the-clock support.

The Tech Data SOC provides resellers monitoring small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) customer environments with a number of tools to detect anomalies that will trigger a response to restore systems, with the idea that partners will offer it as part of their services.

Tech Data’s SOCaaS solution provides continuous monitoring of different aspects of the customer’s systems to detect anomalies and trigger an effective response. It detects and contains threats, minimising impacts on customers and providing fast restoration of systems following a security incident.

It can be offered as an extension of a partner’s own services proposition, with policies, processes and procedures that can be tailored to customer’s specific operational and regulatory environment.

“Customers of all sizes now need to shift to a viable and proactive threat detection posture to fully protect their systems against cyber attacks,” said Alison Nixon, director of security, advanced solutions, at Tech Data, UK & Ireland.

“SOCaaS has been highlighted as a huge opportunity by analysts, but many small and mid-market partners just don’t have the skill set, or the investment capability to build and offer a managed security service quickly enough to address the immediate opportunity.

“With our SOCaaS offering, they can offer a comprehensive and reliable service right away, without having to make the significant up-front investment, time and effort that would be required to establish their own SOC and managed service,” she added.

Earlier this summer, Canalys –working with Tech Data and Trend Micro – set out to identify what defined a successful security partner.

Among a list that included having a wide portfolio and the ability to design and implement cyber security policies for clients was being in a position where a SOC could be provided.

“The fastest growing areas in cyber security include cloud security; identity and access management; security orchestration, automation and response [SOAR] solutions; and endpoint and mobile security,” said David Ellis, Europe vice-president of mobility and security at Tech Data, speaking back in July. “Much of this need has been driven by the move to hybrid working and the need to secure networks to support this move.”

Even those customers that are running their own SOC are finding it difficult with staff burnout – and many are looking for help from the channel. Research from F-Secure found that there is an appetite for more automation from customers.

“Manual triage is clearly a burden, and reporting emails initiates this triage process, regardless of whether or not the email is an actual threat. It’s clearly one of those areas where experts need tech to help them scale existing knowledge and skills,” said F-Secure director of consulting Riaan Naude.