OPTIMIZING SMB SECURITY AND MSP TCO

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) face a dual challenge: They must ensure robust security for their SMB clients while optimizing their own Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). This delicate balance requires a series of well-informed decisions that lead to satisfied clients and a healthy bottom line.

It’s also why MSPs need to look carefully at new security solutions before adding them to their service line-up. While costs are a significant concern, a poor choice of cyber security products can lead to potentially business-ending consequences for their clients.

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Finding the right balance for you and your clients may seem like an impossible task, but not if you follow these simple guidelines for networking security:

1: Shifting to the Cloud Reduces Costs

2: Cloud-Based Solutions Aren’t Always the Solution

3: Zero Trust is a Must for the Expanding Perimeter

4: Robust Security and Cost-Effectiveness is Achievable

Let’s dive deeper into these guidelines to see why they are so critical to day-to-day operations.

CONSIDER THAT 65% OF ORGANIZATIONS REPORTED THAT RANSOMWARE IS ONE OF THE TOP THREE THREATS TO THEIR VIABILITY, ACCORDING TO A 2023 ENTERPRISE STRATEGY GROUP STUDY.

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Just because a network security solution is in the cloud doesn’t make it worth your time. Believe it or not, there are network security SaaS solutions that are big on the first “S” (software) but leave a lot to be desired with the second one (service). Some network security solutions are just self-managed virtual appliances that MSPs must both install and maintain. Just as with a hardware solution, it means time spent on feature upgrades, general updates, security patches, integration conflicts, unexplained crashes, and more. To top it all off, there’s that all-important cloud hosting bill at the end of the month that can frighten even the most grizzled IT Pro.

Many companies want to cling to the traditional perimeter where there’s a physical divide between inside the company network and outside the company network. That framework is long gone. The modern network consists of remote and in-office workers, contractors, cloud services, SaaS applications, and on-prem servers. No matter if we’re talking about a fresh startup, or a longstanding business, there is no longer an easily definable perimeter. This new approach to network operations requires an equally new approach to network security–one purpose-built to integrate hybrid work and the cloud without sacrificing employee efficiency.

2 CLOUD-BASED SOLUTIONS AREN’T ALWAYS THE SOLUTION

3 ZERO TRUST IS A MUST FOR THE EXPANDING PERIMETER

1 SHIFTING TO THE CLOUD REDUCES COSTS Setting aside the security concerns of legacy VPNs, deploying unnecessary hardware is costly for both MSPs and their clients. Hardware takes time to ship from one place to another meaning a delayed time to value. Then once the hardware does arrive, there’s the cost of time to integrate with other systems. Hardware must also be maintained with regular software updates and security patches. Since it’s a physical object MSPs may also need to swap out defective parts. Not to mention that eventually clients will either use the hardware long enough for it to become obsolete, or they will exceed the hardware’s operational capacity. Multiply that across numerous clients and the precious support hours dedicated to making sure everything runs as expected, and it becomes clear that deploying hardware solutions is not optimal for reducing TCO. All these issues disappear once you embrace a cloud-based solution. Updates, patches, replacements, and upgrades become the responsibility of the cloud provider. This allows MSPs to focus on other aspects of their clients’ infrastructure or even expand their client base.

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So, what are we looking for in a network security solution that serves the needs of MSPs and their clients? First, we need robust, remote access based on Zero Trust principles. Under this model, each time an employee requests access to company resources it’s granted on an application-by-application basis. In addition, prior to gaining access each employee’s device will be inspected to ensure it meets the company’s defined security standards. We’re also going to need secure internet access to ensure malicious websites and internet- borne malware won’t reach employee devices. MSP customers also need a high-performance global network that ensures their workforces can connect to the resources they need, no matter where they are. All of this should be able to deploy in less than an hour with maintenance and upgrades handled by the solution provider, freeing up your team’s valuable time for other tasks. The solution should also have seamless upscaling for growing clients (or growing client lists), and all of this should be managed from an intuitive cloud-based console. To help keep costs down, you also need a solution that’s zero-risk, with no upfront costs or minimum investment demands. Even better, a solution that doesn’t expect to see payment until you do. In addition, you need free support with easy access to professional services should you ever need it. Add to that free training and pre-packaged marketing plans to help bring in more clients, and you have everything you need to help your MSP business succeed. That’s what Check Point offers with Harmony SASE. BOOK A DEMO

4 ROBUST SECURITY AND COST-EFFECTIVENESS IS ACHIEVABLE

MEET HARMONY SASE 2X FASTER INTERNET SECURITY | FULL MESH PRIVATE ACCESS | SECURE SD-WAN

The Internet is the new corporate network, leading organizations to transition to SASE. However current solutions break the user experience with slow connections and complex management.

Harmony SASE is a game-changing alternative that delivers 2x faster internet security combined with full mesh Zero Trust Access and optimized SD-WAN performance—all with an emphasis on ease-of- use and streamlined management.

Combining innovative on-device and cloud-delivered network protections, Harmony SASE offers a local browsing experience with tighter security and privacy, and an identity-centric zero trust access policy that accommodates everyone: employees, BYOD and third parties. Its SD-WAN solution unifies industry-leading threat prevention with optimized connectivity, automated steering for over 10,000 applications and seamless link failover for uninterrupted web conferencing.

Harmony SASE enables any business to build a secure corporate network over a private global backbone in less than an hour. The service is managed from a unified console and is backed by an award-winning global support team that has you covered 24/7.

To learn more, visit https://www.checkpoint.com/harmony/sase/ or schedule a demo

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