MSP-focused Continuum lays down security gauntlet to competitors

Vendor claims to have the best security offering on the market after completing acquisition of US-based Carvir

Continuum has moved ahead of its competitors after completing the acquisition of US-based security player Carvir, CEO Michael George has told CRN.

The MSP-focused vendor competes with the likes of Kaseya, Connectwise and SolarWinds, but claims that its security offering is now the best available to the managed services market.

Carvir specialises in providing managed security services to channel partners, and George said the offering will add to Continuum's "ready set" solution package.

"This enables the MSPs to instantly create revenue because it will instantly validate them as a trusted security advisor and partner," he said.

"A year from now, there isn't a single small business out there that's going to go hire an MSP and then separately hire somebody in the security space. To do that you're going to be giving up your core business as an MSP, so everybody knows they need to be in it."

The MSP market itself has been lively over recent months, with Datto and Autotask merging and SolarWinds filing for IPO.

US-based Continuum, which has a UK office in Bracknell, specialises in remote management and backup technology for its 5,500 global MSP customers.

Fielder Hiss, head of product at Continuum, said the Carvir acquisition "jumps us into the lead" with regards to vendors who focus on security for MSPs.

Hiss took a swipe at Continuum's competition in the space, claiming they are "really just remote management vendors and don't offer the augmented service that we do".

He added that existing MSPs should see cybersecurity as a fast way to boost revenue.

"We recently talked to a handful of partners who by building effective cybersecurity practices, have doubled their revenue from just their managed service businesses," Hiss said. "Their clients are demanding cybersecurity solutions and compliance solutions at a level that they have never demanded anymore.

"Ultimately, if the MSPs that [customers] have today are not able to deliver [security], then people are going to move to a different MSP that can solve that problem.

"We really see a lot of opportunity for this [acquisition] to significantly grow our business and also bring new MSPs into the fold for us, and then broaden our existing businesses. It think it will be transformational for us as well as the market."