N-able, the imminent rebrand of SolarWinds MSP, continues to march forward. And it's a reasonably safe bet that N-able's spin-out from corporate IT software provider SolarWinds will also proceed, ChannelE2E believes.
So, what is the path forward for N-able and MSPs (managed IT service providers) that run the company's software? The simple answer involves clear, concise, regular communications between N-able and those MSPs.
Admittedly, the MSP industry has been on heightened alert ever since SolarWinds disclosed a major hacker attack in December 2020. To be clear: The hack hit the SolarWinds Orion software platform, which is more of a corporate IT product. The company's forensics investigation says SolarWinds MSP's software was not targeted or hit by the attack.
Still, SolarWinds MSP President John Pagliuca (soon to be CEO, N-able) concedes: The company realizes it can't rest on a "No news is good news" approach with MSP partners. Amid that realization, the business unit has changed its communications cadence with MSPs -- speaking even more regularly with partners, and proactively repeating the established statement that SolarWinds MSP's software was not attacked, Pagliuca tells ChannelE2E.
It's natural (and smart) for MSPs to ask questions about the attack. But it's also important to separate facts from speculation. So what are the facts?
Read through all of the reports, all of the documentation and all of the investigation findings and that same conclusion emerges: SolarWinds MSP's software was not hit in this attack. (If new information ever surfaces suggesting otherwise, we'll report it.)
KPMG and CrowdStrike: Forensics and Threat Hunt Findings
Meanwhile, SolarWinds MSP -- soon to be known as N-able -- isn't resting on its laurels.
In addition to the cyber investigation (which involved third-parties such as KPMG and CrowdStrike) SolarWinds corporate and the SolarWinds MSP business unit took a hard look at their software development practices, Pagliuca and VP of Security Tim Brown told ChannelE2E earlier this month.
Among the takeaways from our conversation:
Still, SolarWinds MSP isn't resting on its laurels. Among the security-related changes the company is making:
SolarWinds MSP Briefs Partners On Security Investigation, Further Risk Mitigation
SolarWinds MSP earlier this month also briefed partners on many of the updates mentioned above. Moreover, the company recapped SolarWinds MSP's initial six-step response to the Sunburst attack. The six steps, mentioned during a partner briefing, spanned:
SolarWinds MSP apologized for the challenge MSPs faced amid the forced Digital Certificate update, but the company reinforced the need for such a step in order to further mitigate potential business risk.
Present and future SolarWinds MSP security activities, according to the MSP partner briefing, involve:
What's Next for N-able (the Former SolarWinds MSP)
Amid those cybersecurity initiatives, SolarWinds continues to "explore" the potential spin-out of SolarWinds MSP. Take a closer look at that process, and it's a safe bet SolarWinds MSP will switch to the N-able brand even before the proposed spin-out is officially completed.
Yes indeed, SolarWinds MSP will essentially operate as N-able by the end of March 2021 or so, current timelines estimate. Parent SolarWinds is targeting Q2 or so for the official spin-out of the N-able business, assuming it happens.
Still, there are some challenges on the near-term horizon. They involve:
During the earnings call, ChannelE2E suspects SolarWinds will:
In addition to the breach investigation and cleanup costs, ChannelE2E is curious to see if or how news of the hack impacted SolarWinds' overall quarterly revenues. The key wildcard: Did the hack pressure only the Orion software business, or did the security event pressure other portions of the software business while customers pursued more information about the attack? We'll be listening closely to see if any specifics emerge on the earnings call.
Bottom Line: What SolarWinds Earnings, Hearings Mean for MSPs
No doubt, MSPs should expect a flood of media headlines about the SolarWinds earnings plus the hearings in Washington, D.C., this week. If customers read those headlines and raise questions, what exactly should MSPs say?
MSPs should start (and stick) with the truth. Such as:
