CompTIA: Make New Processes Part of the 'Security Mix'

Successful channel partners will focus on three key areas—processes, skills and products—to ensure that they are well-positioned for new opportunities in enterprise security, according to a new CompTIA survey of 400 IT channel professionals. This translates into having the right expertise, resources, skills and mix of security tools beyond firewalls and antivirus software to engage in continuous security conversations with their existing and potential customers. The study, Security in the IT Channel, finds that a security offering is more than a simple production installation and is an ongoing process, thanks to new technology models that are changing how companies address security. "Security products alone aren't enough," said Seth Robinson, senior director, technology analysis, CompTIA. "New processes—risk analysis, compliance management and cloud provider evaluation—must be part of the security mix. Education of end users, the weakest link in the security chain, also requires greater emphasis." Channel Insider examines key takeaways from the study that offer insight into why channel partners must be more proactive in customer education as well as training and service management.