Tech Data To Double Security Headcount As It Rolls Out Dedicated Practice

Tech Data unveiled a 100-person security and information management practice focused on everything from endpoint devices to data protection in a public cloud environment.

The Clearwater, Fla.-based distributor said the new business unit plans to focus on places where Tech Data sees gaps as well emerging technologies in areas like intrusion prevention systems, security information management, and analytics. Tech Data expects to double the size of its security-focused staff in the near term as it brings differentiated services to market.

’This is a critical part of a solution provider’s answer that they bring to their end-user clients,’ Brian Davis, Tech Data’s senior vice president of U.S. marketing, told CRN. ’The need for data security capabilities is not going away anytime soon.’

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Tech Data’s security expertise previously was spread across its networking and software infrastructure practices. By bringing all these skills and resources together, the distributor expects to make it easier for partners to obtain assistance at every phase of the life cycle, according to Tracy Holtz, who will lead the new business unit as director of product marketing, security and information management.

Holtz has led Tech Data’s security and data protection software business for the past 15 years, and is familiar with security vendors that previously were part of the distributor’s networking practice.

She said the new business unit will make it easier to attract more vendors and resellers by enabling Tech Data to demonstrate a holistic view of the security market and capabilities from project inception to data delivery. The security practice will address everything from network security, data security and enterprise architecture to security intelligence, application security and cloud security.

Tech Data’s security hiring spree will be focused primarily on solution architects and software engineers capable of providing support around everything from threat detection to ongoing monitoring, Davis said.

While the distributor historically has seen strength around vendors such as Intel Security, for which the company was honored as its 2016 Distributor of the Year, Davis said it is looking to expand its line card to include security vendors where Tech Data is capable of providing both technical and services-focused support.

Security is a major part of Tech Data’s overall portfolio -- though Davis declined to say exactly how large -- and is enjoying high levels of growth, he said. Although Davis doesn’t expect the distributor’s new security services to be major revenue drivers, he said they should pique the interest of prospective vendors and resellers by demonstrating high levels of technical expertise.

TechSage Solutions is seeing more demand for security products and services ranging from assessments to examine HIPAA and PCI compliance to assistance after a client is hit with a ransomware attack.

John Hill, president and CEO of San Antonio-based TechSage Solutions, a Tech Data partner, said that some of his new security business is being driven by more stringent enforcement around the cybersecurity credentials of financial advisers by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

’There are so many new security products being released now that it’s hard for me to properly evaluate many of them,’ Hill told CRN. ’I suspect that the Tech Data team will provide a good evaluation of the products and only bring the best into their product portfolio.’

For its part, Business Information Solutions is constantly vetting new tools as cyberthreats grow and become increasingly complex, according to Phillip Long, CEO of the Robertsdale, Ala.-based Tech Data partner. Long told CRN that his team would welcome Tech Data’s assistance in helping to broaden and speed up the vetting process.

’The good guys need all the tools in the arsenal at our disposal,’ Long said.