MSPs are taking on more security work as customers look for help with endpoint protection, threat response and daily security operations. But offering more security services can also mean more tools, more alerts and more work to manage.
ConnectWise and SentinelOne are expanding their cybersecurity relationship with a strategy aimed at MSPs that are building out managed security services. Announced at Black Hat 2026, the strategy builds on ConnectWise Managed EDR with SentinelOne, which combines SentinelOne’s endpoint security technology with monitoring and support from the ConnectWise Security Operations Center. The companies now want to bring security intelligence and MSP workflows closer together.
But the immediate question for partners is what actually changes. For now, this is a broader strategy, not a new product launch.
Russ Humphries, ConnectWise's executive vice president of product management, cybersecurity and data protection, told ChannelE2E that ConnectWise recently announced new Managed EDR capabilities built on SentinelOne’s endpoint agent and ConnectWise’s investments in agentic SOC technology.
“What’s new is the depth and direction of the commitment,” Humphries said. “ConnectWise and SentinelOne are aligning AI-driven security, managed security expertise and MSP operational workflows around a shared, long-term strategy built for how partners deliver security services.”
Building on managed EDR
ConnectWise Managed EDR already gives MSPs a way to offer endpoint detection and response without building and staffing their own 24/7 SOC. SentinelOne provides the endpoint security technology, while ConnectWise handles continuous monitoring and SOC support.
The strategy is about bringing that security intelligence closer to the workflows MSPs already use to deliver services. ConnectWise brings the operational and service orchestration side, while SentinelOne brings prevention, detection, investigation and response across endpoint, identity, cloud and AI environments.
Humphries said partners can continue building on the existing Managed EDR service while the companies explore how those capabilities could work more closely together.
“Today, partners can continue building on the existing ConnectWise Managed EDR with SentinelOne foundation,” he said. “This strategy creates a framework for the companies to explore how security intelligence and operational workflows can work more closely together over time.”
The bigger channel question is how MSPs package it
The bigger question is how this turns into services MSPs can actually sell. ConnectWise and SentinelOne say the goal is to help partners grow their managed security offerings while keeping control of the customer relationship.
“The objective is to help MSPs strengthen, differentiate and scale the managed security services they bring to market - not replace the partner’s role or customer relationship,” Humphries said.
The strategy is also designed to bring AI-driven security, managed expertise and operational workflows closer together while maintaining human oversight and partner control.
While ConnectWise has not yet provided details on pricing or partner margins, Humphries said commercial considerations, including packaging and licensing, will be evaluated as the strategy progresses.
“Commercial considerations, including packaging and licensing, will be evaluated as the strategy progresses,” he said.
AI is also part of the strategy. ConnectWise and SentinelOne want to use automation to speed up detection, investigation and response while keeping people involved in key decisions. For MSPs, the appeal is scale. More automation could help providers handle security work across more customer environments without adding the same amount of manual effort.
ConnectWise says partner choice will remain
The deeper SentinelOne relationship also raises a question for partners: Will ConnectWise still support other security vendors?
Humphries said no. “ConnectWise will continue supporting multiple security vendors across its platform,” he said. “This collaboration is about creating a more integrated and effective experience for mutual ConnectWise and SentinelOne partners - not imposing exclusivity or limiting how MSPs build their security stacks.”
Humphries also said ConnectWise wants to create more value for partners that choose SentinelOne while preserving that flexibility.
“Our goal is to give partners greater value where they choose to use SentinelOne while preserving the flexibility to select the technologies that best fit their businesses and customers and to provide accountability for the services we provide on top of those core capabilities.”
