SonicWall and Azul note channel momentum

SonicWall has lifted the lid on the progress it has made with partners over the past year as the security player continues to increase its managed service provider (MSP) base.

Throughout 2024, the vendor continued to improve the support it provided MSPs and has seen small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) customer demand increase in zero-trust and cloud edge security offerings.

The vendor has an established channel handling its firewalls and network security offerings, but it has been encouraging those partners to sell more cloud and co-managed offerings, including zero-trust network access (ZTNA) and managed extended detection and response (MXDR).

Bob VanKirk, CEO and president of SonicWall, said the business had been pursuing a strategy to ensure it was positioned to meet customer demand and arm partners with the right technology.

“SonicWall’s inside-out approach, kicked off almost three years ago, has uniquely positioned us to anticipate and meet the evolving needs of our partners and customers more effectively than ever,” he said.

“By listening and acting on partner feedback, expanding our world-class cyber security offerings, and bringing to market solutions designed specifically for MSPs, we are ensuring that our partners have the support they need to thrive and empowering them to keep their customers safe,” he added.

In terms of some specific metrics, the firm’s recent financial results highlight the contribution being made by its channel.

Managed security services bookings increased year-on-year by 68%. Zero-trust and cloud secure edge bookings were up by 70%, with the number of transacting partners increasing by almost 40% quarter-on-quarter.

The firm also indicated it had seen an increase in the number of partners signed up to its service provider programme. Overall, the firm reported a 42% increase in partner growth over the year.

Matt Neiderman, SonicWall’s chief strategy officer, said 2024 also included a lot of effort in bringing the portfolio together.

“Last year was pivotal for SonicWall as we capitalised on the acquisitions we made in 2023 and integrated them into our portfolio, our platform and our most valuable asset – our partner ecosystem,” he said.

“As we have expanded our offerings to include key capabilities like ZTNA and MXDR, our focus has been on designing them and bringing them to market in a way that supports the needs of the MSP and broader partner community. Now, more than ever, we have a more complete set of tools that partners of every size can leverage to protect their customers and compete in an evolving IT services market,” he added.

The vendor restated its commitment to supporting its partner community and growing numbers this year. Plans include expanding the partner community and providing MSP and MSSP tools, as well as continuing to enhance its portfolio.

At the same time, Java specialist Azul also shared its channel progress with partners across EMEA, helping the firm increase new customer bookings by 111%.

The firm also expanded channel numbers, adding 15 fresh partners in Australia, the Middle East, South Africa and India.

New customers doing business through Azul’s channel partners increased by 79% year-on-year, with strong demand for IT asset management licensing expertise.

“Rising cloud infrastructure costs and enterprise migrations away from Oracle Java have fuelled our momentum this past year as organisations prioritise cost-efficient, scalable and secure Java solutions,” said Scott Sellers, co-founder and CEO of Azul.