Vectra AI Product Leader on NDR, AI & Identity Demand

Network detection and response is regaining prominence as organizations face expanding attack surfaces and a growing mix of human and machine identities inside their environments. 

At the same time, AI is accelerating both the scale of threats and the expectations placed on security teams. 

We spoke with Mark Wojtasiak, VP of product research and strategy, about how these trends are reshaping customer requirements and opening new opportunities for partners that can deliver clearer visibility, streamlined identity protection, and integrated network security outcomes.

Gartner NDR ranking and AI adoption reshape network and identity security priorities

In May 2025, Vectra AI was named a leader on Gartner’s first networking detection and response (NDR) quadrant report, a milestone the company saw as a recognition of where its roadmap has always focused.

Wojtasiak says the report, along with key technology and security trends, has driven increased demand for NDR solutions.

“The magic quadrant and really the whole year have resurfaced network security as something people should pay attention to,” Wojtasiak said.

Wojtasiak’s focus on network security echoes sentiments that Chief Product Officer Jeff Reed shared with Channel Insider in June.

“We have a running joke internally that network security is cool again,” Reed told us at the time. “The network is much more expansive today than it was not even that long ago.”

The other trend Wojtasiak says he is following is that of identity security. More specifically, Wojtasiak says the entire definition of what an identity is has changed, and organizations now need a modern approach to securing human and non-human identities that accounts for AI agents and other technical “users” now within most systems.

Why Vectra AI feels the market has caught up to what they have been seeing for years

That focus on NDR and the increasingly wide attack surface is nothing new for Vectra AI and its product approach. In fact, Wojtasiak says, it almost feels to Vectra AI that the market has finally arrived at the conclusions that have underpinned the company’s roadmap for years.

“Our team has always been focused on listening to and understanding the market, identifying trends, and trying to get ahead of them as much as possible,” said Wojtasiak.

“There are a lot of great companies out there that help to protect organizations, but we really look at where potential attackers might not be seen and address those risks,” he added.

The channel angle: how partners of all types can open new doors in 2026

Vectra AI works with a variety of partner types, including MSSPs, solution providers, and traditional resellers. 

The company works exclusively within the channel, and Wojtasiak emphasizes the importance Vectra places on bringing its partners solutions to their clients’ challenges.

“Everything we do is through a partner, and at the end of the day, they are on the front lines for us,” Wojtasiak said.

He also thinks channel partners, from MSSPs to resellers, will see renewed opportunities in 2026 across network security and identity if they can get their arms around new capabilities and deliver additional value to existing customers.

Vectra AI Shield expands Microsoft security coverage and reduces partner complexity

We covered Vectra’s new Shield offering when it was announced in late November. The solution addresses complexities in Microsoft’s security tooling and provides channel partners with a new way to extend attack signal intelligence across the entire Microsoft ecosystem.

Wojtasiak says the solution is just one example of how the company brings products to market through feedback from its partners and a deep understanding of the types of customers it wants to serve. 

Microsoft security adoption stood out as a commonality across partners and many of their customers, he said, leading the team to develop what it saw as a solution to the complexities those partners faced.

“We don’t go and boil the ocean to try to appeal to everyone,” Wojtasiak said. “We then also look for partners whose customers fit the profile we’ve determined is the best fit for us and our technology to help.”

To Wojtasiak, the value proposition is relatively straightforward: don’t make things more complicated for partners and customers.

“We know our partners, also the end users, aren’t looking for new problems to solve. They are looking for better ways to solve the problems they already have,” Wojtasiak said. “The last thing we want to do is go into a client and tell them they have to reinvent everything they do. We are focused on removing friction for partners and their customers.”