Step inside Barracuda’s DeLorean for a look into 2017

Since we simply can’t hop in a DeLorean, step on the pedal until we reach 88 MPH and reappear in the future — at least not yet, we’ve decided to settle by polling the experts around Barracuda to find out what trends will continue, fade out or take off next year.

Here are a few comments from some of the folks around Barracuda who wanted to weigh in on the year to come.

Hatem Naguib, SVP & GM, Security Business, Barracuda

2016 was another year of growth of the digital transformation of business. This has led to expansion of three key trends - accelerated cloud adoption, increase application dispersion, and increased network dispersion. We have simultaneously witnessed an order of magnitude increase in attacks along all threat vectors, which makes it imperative for all companies to review their security strategy as we move into the new year. These three trends impact every piece of business. From customer service to accounting to human resources to sales, all departments rely on technology for efficient communication and workflows. The challenge for IT now is to make sure that there is secure access to the various applications and data that is dispersed across the company. As you wrap up 2016, ask yourself these two questions:

• Are your local and dispersed users able to consistently access what they need?
• Is your company as secure now as it was at the beginning of 2016?

These questions will help you assess what you need to do going into the next year.

Ezra Hookano, VP Channels, Barracuda

We’ve seen the channel have to make adjustments over the years anytime end-user IT purchasing and deployment decisions change course, and the age of the cloud is no different. Moving forward in 2017 we’re going to see traditional VARs have to adjust the way they approach customers in everything from the conversations they’re having to the solutions they sell and support. We’re already beginning to see customers pass over their traditional solution providers and go about tackling small cloud projects alone, which will only result in customers looking elsewhere for help with larger cloud projects. 2017 will be a defining year for the channel in that those who adapt and are able provide added value to cloud deployments for customers with expertise in areas like cloud security, will be able to move forward and work effectively with their customers as more data and applications move off premises.

Neal Bradbury, Senior Director of Business Development, Intronis MSP Solutions by Barracuda

In the upcoming year MSPs will start to view security as an integral part of their services offering and no longer as an add-on service. This will open up opportunities for MSPs to demonstrate their value, especially to SMB customers who will lean on them more for guidance in selecting and implementing cloud solutions. Security and data protection should always be at the forefront of cloud migrations, and MSPs who are able to offer these services and expertise around customer cloud deployments will be well prepared to build long-lasting relationships with their cloud customers.

Well that settles it, you should now feel overly confident placing bets on the future of IT security, and the channel that sells it at your local watering hole over the holidays — you’re welcome. As for the time machine, it’s probably not likely to appear in 2017, however, we do have a message out to Elon Musk to see if he has one in the hopper — we’ll let you know as soon as he gets back to us.

Happy New Year from everyone at Barracuda.