In this edition of The Holtz Story, we’re joined by Larry Walsh, Founder, and CEO of Channelnomics. Larry oversees 2112’s consulting and strategy services, which provide channel and go-to-market assessments, channel program development and operations, executive coaching, and communications support. Today we’re discussing the MSP evolving landscape.The podcast opens with Larry and Tracy discussing the state of managed services today. They both agree managed services is a vibrant model. Larry points out weaknesses in the MSP model that leads to a robust discussion. As the conversation evolves, it shifts towards the Vendor/MSP relationship. Larry and Tracy both see this changing with vendors adapting to customer needs and MSP weaknesses. The conversation then turns to the evolution of MSPs into MSSPs; Larry expresses skepticism about MSP readiness and focus. Both he and Tracy agree there is an underlying talent availability issue. We end this podcast with a discussion on where the channel should focus now. Larry emphasizes the need to focus on business planning and execution. He believes there needs to be more focus on customer success. We hope you enjoy the show. If you do, please share it with colleagues and remember to subscribe using your favorite podcast platform (I.e., iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, etc.).

In this special edition of The Holtz Story, we’re joined by MJ Shoer SVP, Executive Director, CompTIA ISAO, and Brett Scott Director Security Training and Enablement at Tech Data to discuss the Biden Administration’s Cybersecurity Executive Order. This episode covers a lot of ground, from the evolution of the Defense in Depth (DiD) mindset to zero-trust, threat and intelligence sharing, data and metrics, ratings, and more.Listen in as Tracy, MJ, and Brett discuss how the executive order spells out zero-trust, how it calls for an evolution of the DiD mindset. MJ points out that it is impossible to set up a perimeter bad actors can’t penetrate, so embracing zero-trust makes sense. The conversation then shifts to how the government often has early insight into potential threats, and they need to share this information sooner and more effectively. Brett adds that the bad guys share information quite effectively, precisely what the government needs to do. Brett shifts the conversation again to data and metrics and how they should lead your cybersecurity strategy. You need to know what’s going on – so you know what to do about it. MJ believes automation holds promise but isn’t the sole cure. MJ also adds cybersecurity is a team sport, and the good guys should work together. There’s an industry opportunity to do this right now without regulation.Tracy introduces the topic of ratings for security frameworks. MJ shares that he believes there need to be some standards developed on what represents an adequate security framework. What’s the minimum? What’s advanced? Brett points to CISA, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, and how they are leveraging various frameworks that can be used as benchmarks.We end with a discussion of cyber insurance and how it could push the adoption of basic security frameworks. Organizations like CompTIA and distributors like Tech Data are working together to document what CISOs should be asking and creating education programs to help.We hope you enjoy the show. If you do, please share it with colleagues and remember to subscribe using your favorite podcast platform (I.e., iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, etc.).

This week Dan Brodeur Senior Director at VMware Security joins "The Holtz Story" to discuss the anywhere workforce. Dan and Tracy cover a lot of ground in this podcast, moving from the hybrid working environments to zero trust, and the impact on the vendors, customers, and partners. Listen in as Dan and Tracy discuss how we're not going back to the way things were, and the future will be more of a hybrid environment with more work from home than in the past. Employee retention and the need for flexibility are driving this model.  Breaches and malware attacks are increasing, and VMware sees customers and partners moving to a more holistic zero trust strategy. Customers need security platforms to be easier, creating a pivot in the industry to all-in-one platforms by the vendors. Dan and Tracy segue to how customers are focusing on the user experience. Ease of use is becoming critical as it helps avoid misconfiguration, which has been at the root of many breaches. MSPs and MSSPs are VMware's fastest-growing route to market. Dan talks about how partners are adding proactive services like compliance advisory to their solutions' portfolios. He also sees the combination of SD-WAN, Edge Computing, Container, and Workload security creating an even more significant opportunity for channel partners. We hope you enjoy the show. If you do, please share it with colleagues and remember to subscribe using your favorite podcast platform (I.e., iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, etc.).

This week Tim Erlin, Vice President of Product Management and Strategy at Tripwire, joins "The Holtz Story" to discuss the movement of employees back to the office, OT and IT convergence, the future direction of Tripwire, and even the Biden Administration’s executive order on cybersecurity. Listen in as Tim points out that almost every company is part of a supply chain, and they need to recognize their impact on other organizations. How IT/OT convergence is accelerating and increasing the number of CISOs responsible for OT environments. Tracy and Tim also discuss channel partners and what they need to be doing now.  How important enablement and solutions consulting is to their success. The need to help partners focus more on the business and less on technology.Tim also discusses where Tripwire is headed as a company. How Industrial and Cloud are growth areas with both needing what Tripwire is known for; integrity monitoring, policy compliance, and added security controls. The challenge of siloed behavior by LOB users going to the cloud or industrial without IT and the security controls in place.As the conversation shifts to the White House Executive Order, Tim expresses concern about the exception process, and how some of the changes are being mandated, and how they will funnel down into commercial markets. This is an information-packed show, and we hope you enjoy it. Please share it with colleagues and remember to subscribe using your favorite podcast platform (I.e., iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, etc.).

We welcome back Frank Rauch, Head of Worldwide Channel Sales at Check Point Software, to "The Holtz Story" to discuss what’s happening as we return to normal and recent developments with the Biden cybersecurity initiative. The world is starting to unknot, everyone is going out to restaurants, taking vacations, and we’re starting to go out to partners and customers.  We might not be back to normal yet, but we’ve taken a big step and it feels great! We can’t wait to see you at live events soon. Listen in as Frank shares what Check Point is doing as they deal with employees returning to offices worldwide.  Smart buildings, smart offices, smart businesses are increasing attack surfaces, and cyberattacks have escalated in both quantity and sophistication. Check Point and its partners are moving towards Zero-Trust models and deploying Gen 5 and 6 solutions to protect employees and their businesses. In this episode, Frank and Tracy also discuss the Biden Cybersecurity Executive Order. Frank shares how Check Point is aligning with the order and how important it is for the country. It might be your electricity or 911 service next, we need to protect our critical infrastructure. This episode is packed with great conversation with one of the industry’s most informed channel leaders. We hope you enjoy the show. Please don’t forget to share it with colleagues and remember to subscribe using your favorite podcast platform (I.e., iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, etc.).

With the news filled with the latest cybersecurity breaches, it's time to step back and look at where we are and where we're going. This week Jon Bove, Vice President of Channel Sales at Fortinet, joins "The Holtz Story" to discuss current trends and what the future looks like from a cybersecurity perspective.In this episode, Jon talks about how point solutions are no longer viable and the need for participation at every level of the attack surface. As Jon says, “the cheese is moving every day, and bad actors are getting more aggressive,” he urges everyone to be more diligent. Jon also points out that insurance companies are starting to require more diligence from those they underwrite.Listen in as Tracy and Jon discuss how the changing threat landscape impacts channel partners. They discuss how partners who had already shifted rapidly to deal with Work from Home now have capacity issues dealing with the “lift and shift” to the cloud. Jon shares the talent challenge and some of Fortinet’s creative solutions for dealing with it. They also discuss the changing role of Channel Account Managers.We hope you enjoy the show. Please share it with colleagues and remember to subscribe using your favorite podcast platform (I.e., iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, etc.).

The supply chain only works if there is trust between and within the channel. This week Patrick Sweeney, President & CEO at Area 1 Security, joins "The Holtz Story" to discuss how the supply chain is uniquely vulnerable to cyber-attacks and what must happen to ensure its viability.In this episode, you'll hear Patrick and Tracy discuss the supply chain's reliance on email and how it is the soft underbelly of our communications. Patrick points out that most cyber solutions started as an expansion of SPAM prevention and today, that approach isn't good enough. He points out how the growing complexity of threats and the need to match the protection to the platform.Listen in as Tracy and Patrick discuss this growing complexity, how trust equals vulnerability, and the toolbox partners must have to address it. Patrick points out how you have to go beyond code detonation and detection of malintent and take a preemptive view of the entire threat landscape. Tracy and Patrick discuss how channel partners need to protect their own house first. It isn't about what the bad actor gets from the channel partner, but the hit a breach has on their reputation and its longer-term impact on their business.We hope you enjoy the show. Please share it with colleagues and remember to subscribe using your favorite podcast platform (I.e., iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, etc.).

With the recent Colonial Pipeline breach capturing the nation’s attention, MSPs find themselves under a microscope. Many MSPs are struggling to keep up with the rising threat landscape, new technologies, and people shortage in cybersecurity. This week Lamon Gorman, Director Service Provider Channel at Trend Micro, joins “The Holtz Story” to talk about SOC (Security Operations Center) as a Service and its appeal to MSPs, and what MSPs must be doing now.In this episode, Lamon shares that he sees people as the most significant challenge MSPs face in ramping up cybersecurity offerings. There simply aren’t enough, and when you invest in training and certification, they often leave for greener pastures. This market dynamic is making SOC as a Service attractive to MSPs. When it comes to SOC as a Service, vendors offer two paths: “do it for you” and “do it with you.” Tracy and Lamon explore the merits of these paths for today’s MSPs.Listen in as Tracy and Lamon talk about the difference in MSP approaches to cybersecurity services and how some progressive MSPs are looking to add an “S” and become MSSPs, while others are looking for vendors to fill the void. Hear how the old days of installing anti-virus and firewalls has evolved into over eight hundred distinct offerings to navigate, and the challenges this presents to MSPs. We hope you enjoy the show. Please share it with colleagues and remember to subscribe using your favorite podcast platform (I.e., iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, etc.).

The Small and Mid-Size Business (SMB) cybersecurity market is over seven billion dollars in size, according to this week’s guest Frank Rauch, Head of Worldwide Channel Sales at CheckPoint Software. This makes it a significant market, and one that has captured the attention of many channel partners.The need for SMB cybersecurity is very high at the moment. Unlike the enterprise market where only seven percent of companies experience a cyber breach, over 54% of SMB’s were breached last year. Not only did they get breached more often, but they were also less prepared to deal with a breach.Listen in as Frank and Tracy discuss how CheckPoint is addressing this market. Hear about CheckPoint’s unique appliance approach, which brings with “zero-touch”, redundancy, load sharing, performance monitoring, and more within 60 seconds of go-live.Frank and Tracy also take on the role of marketplaces and the new opportunity this presents to channel partners.We hope you enjoy the show, if you did please share it with colleagues and remember to subscribe using your favorite podcast platform (I.e., iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, etc.). 

The women’s movement started over a hundred years ago and continues today. This episode is dedicated to that movement and the women who persevere in today’s workforce. Our guest for this episode is Abigail Maines, Vice President Commercial and Channel Sales at Cybereason.Listen in as Abigail and Tracy discuss what it was like to enter the workforce as a woman in the tech industry and how the pandemic has disproportionally impacted women. You’ll also hear their thoughts on this year’s IWD theme “Choose to Challenge”, and their personal alignment to it. Also, don’t miss out on their advice to women entering the workforce.We hope you enjoy the show, if you did please share it with colleagues and remember to subscribe using your favorite podcast platform (I.e., iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, etc.).