5 things

5 Channel Partner & MSP Market News Updates: 21 March 2023

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Yesterday was the first day of Spring, but it was also a Monday, so I'm a little slow out of the gate. Wishing you a pleasant season. Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more on this March 21, 2023. Sip up.

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  • Who We Serve: Content for managed services providers (MSPs), IT service providers (ITSPs), cybersecurity consultants, technology solutions providers (TSPs), systems integrators, VARs, independent software vendors (ISVs), distributors and any other partner acronym that further caffeinates our already stellar SEO.
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Today’s Technology and MSP Partner Program News

  1. Discounted cybersecurity insurance: Cybersecurity provider Sophos is partnering with cybersecurity insurance company Cowbell to make it easier for managed service providers to help their small and mid-sized clients in the U.S. obtain better rates for cybersecurity insurance. The partnership between Sophos and Cowbell lets Sophos customers “opt in” to share security health information with Cowbell and obtain discounts on insurance premiums. Much like auto insurers providing better rates for safe drivers, this program rewards small and mid-sized businesses for good cybersecurity hygiene.
  2. GTDC appoints VAC members: N-able executive vice president of worldwide sales, Frank Colletti, has been selected by the Global Technology Distribution Council (GTDC) to join its EMEA Vendor Advisory Council (VAC). Other members include executives from Lenovo, Dell EMC, and HPE. CEO of GTDC Frank Vitagliano said: “The Vendor Advisory Council provides GTDC with invaluable insight and feedback and is a critical sounding board for creating validating industry initiatives.”
  3. Are your prospects ready for cyberthreats? No.: A new Cisco study found only 15% of companies are ready to defend against cyberthreats, but 82% of those surveyed said they expect a cybersecurity incident to disrupt their business in the next 12 to 24 months. Cisco issued the results from the survey of 6,700 in the Cisco Cybersecurity Readiness Index.
  4. Hyperscaler cuts cloud jobs: Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told employees in a memo that the company plans to eliminate about 9,000 more positions over the next few weeks, mostly in AWS, PXT (people, experience and technology solutions), advertising, and Twitch. In January Amazon announced plans to eliminate 18,000 positions.
  5. More big tech layoffs: Last week Facebook parent Meta announced plans to cut 10,000 more employees and close 5,000 roles that the company hasn’t hired for yet. The company had already cut 11,000 employees in November 2022.
Jessica C. Davis

Jessica C. Davis is Editorial Director of CyberRisk Alliance’s channel brands — MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E. She also oversees content and programming for the MSSP Alert Live event. She has spent a career as a journalist covering the business of technology including chips, software, the cloud, AI, and cybersecurity. She previously served as Editor in Chief of Channel Insider and later of MSP Mentor where she was one of the first editors to oversee the creation and vision of the MSP 501 list.