Network security provider Tufin on Tuesday launched its Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) program and Tufin-as-a-Service offer. The company offers a network security policy orchestration solution that manages the security policies around vendors’ firewalls. 

After having the program in stealth mode with both large and small MSSPs in a variety of global locations for about seven months, Tufin now offers its solutino in an MSSP-friendly, consumption-based model.  

“Traditional vendors have tried to force models on MSSPs that aren’t consumption-based, meaning they have partners buy licenses and let them offer them anyway they want,” Mike Menegay, vice president of global channels, told us. “The way we built our program is that we went out and spent a year researching MSSPs to understand their challenges – technical, sales and financial – and came up with a complete business plan written around these challenges and how can we not be part of those challenges.” 

The company’s MSSP program provides partners with: 

“We’re going to give you, as a partner, a bunch of licenses out of the chute. We’re going to train you, we’re going to integrate you on the platform and give you total visibility 24/7 of every device that you’re managing, every client you’re managing and every piece of billing,” said Menegay. 

Mike Menegay

Mike Menegay

With the licenses in hand, partners can bring on clients. Tufin records every firewall and router that’s being managed on a day-to-day basis and calculates a daily charge. At the end of 30 days, the charges are totaled and Tufin bills the MSSP electronically. 

Interested partners must go through the online Tufin technical and MSSP certification, then work with Tufin on their support capabilities.

The company says benefits of being a Tufin MSSP and Tufin-as-a-Service provider are control and visibility; automation; improved compliance and audit readiness; cost savings with proven ROI; and growth opportunity.

“Where Tufin excels is in the orchestration and automation of the cleanup of the security and firewalls and being able to make changes in minutes versus weeks,” said Menegay. “From the technology perspective, partners get to implement the technology today and they can grow into the automation space offering them a multiyear opportunity.” 

While large enterprises have the in-house technical resources for orchestration and automation, SMBs and midmarket companies do not, which is where MSSPs can step in. As consultants, MSSPs can show customers where they have security holes and then turn it into a billable service. If partners offer this as a manual service today, Menegay says they can up their game with the Tufin-as-a-Service offer. 

Tufin’s product works across multiple vendor firewalls, such as Cisco, Fortinet, F5, Palo Alto and Check Point.

In June, Tufin debuted its advanced Service Delivery Partner Program for Tufin-certified experts on the vendor’s orchestration suite. Service-delivery partners act as a virtual bench for Tufin.