Palo Alto Networks believes in taking prevention-oriented approach for managing the enterprise security solutions. The company is betting big on cloud services and realigning its key partners for these opportunities
In terms of technology alliance to provide integrated security solutions and services to customers, Palo Alto Networks works with key cloud providers including VMware, Citrix, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and more. It provides both on-premise and cloud based security, which addresses the hybrid model needs largely followed by most organizations and enterprises in recent times.
Although, Palo Alto Networks was a late entrant in the Indian security market and compete with large vendors like Cisco, Juniper, Check Point, Fortinet and others, but with renewed focus on channel and global security alliances. The company looks optimistic in penetrating this market. Compared to competitors, company largely focuses on prevention strategy using automation and integration approach to strengthen security offering.
Harpreet Bhatia, Director-Channel and Strategic Alliances, India and SAARC, Palo Alto Networks talks about how the security landscape has moved the company from a network security to enterprise security provider, “I think threats are seamless be it on the network, end point and cloud. The one big demarcating factor is our Threat Intelligence Cloud which basically observes threats across all our 45000 plus customers across the globe and has threat analytic data. When you have such a big engine that will allow us to innovate, and automate and can deploy protective and preventive mechanism across all the three areas.”
The another big move taken by Palo Alto was the formation of Cyber Threat Alliance. This alliance shares threat intelligence in central a pool which is also shared with the govt of the USA and with top corporation. The company leverage this data in deploying automated framework. Recently, the company has announced applications framework whereby it is opening this threat intelligence cloud for startups and established security companies to develop their products and solutions.
Channel is a big focus
Besides its dominance in the large enterprise,the company has started extending its footprint more across mid-market. The company is scaling channel ecosystem in India and helping them to be more profitable. Its channel program offers more rebates, renewal protection and incentives especially for partners who are technically sound to support and service our customers well. The company is offloading many services to the channels as they conduct health check of customers’ security posture through the proof of concepts and work as a security adviser for their customers.
Palo Alto in 2018 will be primarily focused on giving proactive protection to customers in any vertical be it network, end point security and cloud security.
“We don’t want to oversubscribe the channel. On channel front, we have yet to see the Indian managed security service provider getting matured wherein globally most of the service providers and large IT service company are consuming security as a service. We see there is slow interest. However, with our cloud providers we are building a new pool of born on cloud set of partners.Channels are critical to us both in terms of market coverage. Hence we align with large loyal partners with local presence through a two tier model. The optimized channel strategy then spans across the ecosystem of distributors, systems integrators, service providers and small resellers,” he added.
“Partners should start embracing cloud security and understand the framework, as the network side of the business will not be seeing much of growth. But both endpoint and cloud will be the main run rate business for the channel,” concluded Bhatia.
