Sharp and ConnectWise Announce Strategic Collaboration

Major advancement in print security the first deliverable from the companies' joint efforts

MONTVALE, N.J. and TAMPA, Fla., April 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) and ConnectWise, the world's leading software company dedicated to the success of IT solution providers, have announced a strategic collaboration to deliver upon their shared vision of providing secure and efficient managed services through their extensive channel partner networks. The first deliverable is a managed Print Security Service that offers unique visibility into print security for Sharp devices.

Today, multifunction products (MFPs) and printers are integral parts of an organization's document workflows and business processes. As such, they also need to be integrated into the organization's security posture. Sharp addresses these concerns at a device level by providing a suite of integrated security features, including password management, intrusion detection, firmware attack prevention, optional virus detection and much more. Meanwhile, many customers rely upon their IT service providers for broad IT system threat detection, often powered by ConnectWise Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), which centralizes threat visibility and analysis.

Through the strategic collaboration with Sharp and ConnectWise, the new Print Security Service for Sharp MFPs and printers will elevate print security event management to be a full partner in the IT stack, as it captures and analyzes a comprehensive range of event logs, and alerts customers to potential threats using ConnectWise SIEM, which will be monitored 24/7 by ConnectWise's Security Operations Center.

This information will then be collected and analyzed against an entire ecosystem of threat intelligence feeds, providing clear and concise security risk feedback and event notification to Sharp channel partners. The Sharp channel partners will then be able to provide customers with timely notification and mitigation of potential security risks. This new service answers the growing demand within the office technology dealer community for ways to bridge their print and managed services offerings, while also allowing dealers that already offer managed security services to provide greater endpoint coverage and a more complete security solution for their customers. 

"Businesses often overlook MFP and printer security, but just like a PC, they can serve as on-ramps to your network and valuable business information," said Vince Jannelli, Associate Vice President, Software Product Management, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. "This security service provides our customers with the peace of mind that their Sharp MFP and printer fleet is being managed and monitored from a security perspective via this industry-first print security service."

"The availability of ConnectWise SIEM as a print security service for Sharp MFPs and printers is just the first step in our strategic collaboration. We're excited to introduce other integrations between Sharp's collection of devices and our robust solutions for MSSPs," said Drew Sanford, Vice President, Global Security Operations at ConnectWise. "For example, during the Opportunity Meets Execution National Dealer Meeting, we are previewing a ConnectWise PSA integration that automates PSA service ticket generation with Sharp devices. We know there's more innovation on the roadmap and are appreciative of global relationships like this one that are focused on improving the security posture of the industry."

About Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America
Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) is a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, the U.S. subsidiary of Japan's Sharp Corporation, which has been named to Fortune magazine's World's Most Admired Company List, ranking the world's most respected and reputable companies. SIICA markets Sharp's Simply Smarter business products and solutions, such as Synappx applications, professional displays, laptops, desktop monitors and a full suite of secure copier and printer solutions, that can help companies manage workflow efficiently and increase productivity so they can work smarter. SIICA markets its products through a vast network of independent dealerships and its direct sales division Sharp Business Systems (SBS). By accelerating collaboration, improving efficiencies, digitizing workflows and increasing information security, Sharp strives to help businesses achieve Simply Smarter work through technology that is smart and easy to use.

For more information on Sharp's business products, visit our website at business.sharpusa.com. Become a fan of Sharp business products on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram and watch us on YouTube.

About ConnectWise 
ConnectWise is the world's leading software company dedicated to the success of IT solution providers (TSPs) through unmatched software, services, community, and marketplace of integrations. ConnectWise offers an innovative, integrated, and security-centric platform—Asio™—which provides unmatched flexibility that fuels profitable, long-term growth for partners. ConnectWise enables TSPs to drive business efficiency with automation, IT documentation, and data management capabilities and increase revenue with remote monitoring, cybersecurity, and backup and disaster recovery technologies. For more information, visit connectwise.com. 

Contact:
Peppercomm for Sharp
Paul Merchan
212.931.6172
[email protected]

SOURCE Sharp Electronics Corporation