Optus picks Sophos for SMB security push

Optus Business and Wholesale has picked Sophos to power a range of new security services for SMBs.

The new offering will see Optus use Sophos Central – a web-hosted unified management console – to drive Sophos Endpoint Protection, Web and Email filtering for clients. Sophos’ Synchronized Security offering, which shares information between security tools to detect more threats, is also part of the new products.

“Sophos is a channel first, channel best company and we develop programs and products with the needs of our partners at the core,” said John Donovan, managing director, ANZ, Sophos.

CRN reckons that once he gets beyond the confines of a canned PR quote, Donovan would likely use more effusive language because Sophos Central is aimed squarely at service providers that run security services for multiple end-customers. As service providers don’t come much bigger than Optus in Australia, Sophos is in an enviable position!

As for Optus, it now has two cloud-based security services. The carrier Optus already offers “Optus GO Security” for organisations with over 250 employees.

Newly-installed MD for business and wholesale Ben White said the Sophos-powered service shows “ “Our goal is to protect the data of small businesses at the points where it is most vulnerable—at the endpoint and through phishing and suspicious URL attacks that target users through web and email. We believe Sophos will simplify and boost levels of protection for SMBs.”

“By building a platform based on Sophos Central, we will be able to provide customers with a scalable solution that provides peace-of-mind and allows them to focus on what they do best—running their business.”