Axcient CEO David Bennett and Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) Angus Robertson have a rather simple message for MSPs: As you seek to build a best-in-class managed security technology stack, you'll also need to simply that stack.
It's a safe bet those messages will surface during MSP Xperience 2020, a virtual Axcient partner event set for September 25. No doubt, security is a top-of-mind topic amid the coronavirus pandemic and the shift to remote work. But no single solution fully mitigates the risks facing MSPs and their small business customers.
The way Axcient sees it, MSPs will need user education plus best-in-class solutions that address:
- Endpoint Protection
- Identity Management
- Network Security
- Data Protection
- Compliance
Of course, managing that stack can get quite complex if MSPs are juggling multiple solutions within each segment of the stack. On the data protection front alone, the typical MSP has at least three BDR (backup and disaster recovery) platforms -- and some MSPs have as many as 11 different BDR tools in place, Robertson notes.
Amid all that complexity and the accelerated shift to remote and cloud workloads, it's an ideal time for MSPs to take a step back and really pursue a tech stack that involves one or perhaps two vendors in each category, Robertson asserts.
Axcient: The Journey to Simplification
Axcient has spent the past year pursuing and delivering simplification within its own business. Earlier this year, the company launched a simplified brand (Axcient x360) with products that describe the value they deliver:
- x360Sync for secure file sync and sharing;
- 3x60Cloud for cloud-to-cloud backup; and
- x360Recover for business continuity and disaster recovery.
Admittedly, Axcient faces intense competition in the MSP-centric data protection market. In addition to Datto, each of the major MSP platform providers (Barracuda MSP, ConnectWise, Kaseya, SolarWinds MSP) now has data protection tools and services. Moreover, data protection companies such as Acronis, MSP360, OpenText, (with Carbonite) and StorageCraft continue to open their arms to MSPs.
Financially astute MSPs, however, have focused on vendor consolidation and carefully considered how they spend both time and money, Bennett says. "Cash became king for everyone during the pandemic," Bennett asserts.
Fast forward to present present day, and MSPs that were well-run ahead of the pandemic are doing even better right now, Bennett asserts.
Axcient: BDR and Security
Still, security remains the hot-button topic that MSPs must continually assess and address. And BDR is part of the security stack, Bennett says.
Axcient and its technology partners will drive home those points during the September 25 virtual conference.
Among the additional highlights expected at the conference:
- MJ Shoer, executive director of the CompTIA ISAO, will explain how MSPs can leverage threat intelligence and plenty more to mitigate risk in their own businesses and across their customer bases.
- William Blair, the global investment firm, will describe M&A and the value that MSPs drive for private equity.
And of course, Axcient will drive home that message of simplification.
