Websense MSSP program skirts data location issue

Websense has announced plans to help its large integrators provide security as a service (SaaS) to customers.

The managed security service provider (MSSP) program would target only the largest players and give them the ability to provide unified content secuirty for web, mail and data under one control panel.

"We're working with the large system integrators that have big secruity and technology teams that can provide these services," said David Brophy, Websense's marketing manager for Australia and New Zealand.

The vendor was initially looking at taking on five MSSPs in Australia. Global partners in the program included Verizon, AT&T, IBM ISS and Integralis.

Partners in the MSSP program would provide web security, messaging security and data loss prevention services in a manner similar to Websense's own hosted services. The MSSPs would be able to integrate these security services more easily with other services, said Brophy.

Using its partner IBM as an example, the services company could plug customers into its data centres in Queensland or NSW instead of plugging in to Websense's 10 data centres around the world, said Brophy.

IBM was in the process of signing up customers in transportation and government to security services based on Websense's technology, said Brophy.

Government agencies and enterprises sensitive about where their data was transmitted were likely customers of Australian MSSPs, said Brophy. Vendors' reluctance to build data centres in Australia has been cited as one reason for the slow take-up of cloud services here.

MSSPs "can be monitoring the networks and making sure it's working specifically for that customer," said Brophy.

Brophy said the MSSPs would not be competing with Websense's own SaaS products. "There will be no competition," said Brophy.

"MSSP solutions are targeted at complex enterprise environments. These often require additional services such as to assist in the development of specific processes or infrastructure designs.

"SaaS on the other hand, while still applicable to enterprise deployments, will typically involve a lower requirement for these additional services."

Brophy added that it was difficult to compare the cost of a SaaS service provided by Websense to that provided by MSSPs, as they would charge by project rather than per user per month.

"However if you were able to break out the Websense-only costs, the price would be very similar," said Brophy.

MSSPs have to pay one-time sign up fees for access to initial integration, engineering support, certifications on products and sales and marketing support.

The Websense MSSP program was by invitation only to service providers that met Websense minimum criteria in technical competency, services capacity and investment in joint core business.

The program's service delivery framework included managed Web and DLP content security services for customer on-premise equipment, as well as white-label branding options for Websense and unified security software-as-a-services (SaaS) for Web and email.