Reselling cyber security technologies is not enough for value-added resellers (VARs), in today’s threat environment. Cyber Security solutions go beyond technologies and for a VAR to be successful and a trusted security partner, they must engage with executives and educate them on the dynamic nature of threats. Cyber security continues to be a top priority for organizations and businesses of all sizes so VARs must have a game plan moving forward, according to David McNicholas, Director of Comstor’s U.S. Strategic Business Development. We spoke with McNicholas as part of our continuing coverage of cyber security during National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM).
McNicholas is seeing organizations, resellers and solutions providers who are already offering some sort of cyber security solution, yet there is an ongoing need and desire to become much more educated on cyber threats at large.
“The main message I share with the Cisco reseller market is that they must understand that technology is only about a third of what cyber security is all about,” McNicholas shared. “Up until about eight months ago, CEOs thought that cyber security was IT’s responsibility. Now, they realize that it is their responsibility.”
McNicholas and the Comstor Cyber Security Initiative (CSI) team are teaching partners and VARs how to create a risk management program, because it is through this type of program that you will be able to create relevancy for your business in the executive suite. “If you want to be able to engage where the decision is made and where the budget is, and be able to create insight and thought leadership for your customers, you have to have a risk management program,” McNicholas shared.
The Comstor Ring of Security goes beyond technology and also includes people, processes and facilities, which is much more than most VARs, who focus solely on technology.
McNicholas, like the Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance, is focused on education. “If a VAR hasn’t started in this cyber security space, then the first step is to get educated about it holistically,” he shared. “Once you are educated, you have to educate your customers and base. Through education, you can establish yourself as competent and a thought leader in the area of cybersecurity.”
