Trend Micro Managed Service Provider Program Facilitates Channel Partners' Journey to the Cloud

CUPERTINO, Calif. and ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), the global leader in cloud security, is leading the way in helping small and medium businesses (SMBs) and value-added resellers (VARS) transition to the managed service provider (MSP) business model.  Today, Trend Micro announces updates to the managed service provider program, solution integration into ConnectWise, and a new PartnerPlus Portal to facilitate this managed service provider (MSP) transition.

"There is huge opportunity for growth in the managed service provider market.  Trend Micro's priority is to help our partners prosper by delivering security solutions and tools that allow them to gain efficiency and keep their customers' data safe.  Along with the new updates to our MSP program we will continue to make enhancements so partners can successfully transition some or all of their business to a cloud-based service model while they simultaneously manage their traditional install base," said Magi Diego, director, SMB Marketing at Trend Micro.     

Trend Micro MSP Program Supports Channel Partners' Transition to the Cloud and Managed Services

• Trend Micro MSP solutions uniquely enable MSP partners to automatically license, monitor and manage both traditional on-premise as well as cloud-based security solutions from a single management console, providing the flexibility to migrate to the cloud at their own pace. With this single login MSP partners can provision, deploy, manage, and report on their entire customer base, both cloud and on-premise.
• The MSP solutions are now available in 22 languages.
• MSP partners are able to manage annual and monthly recurring licenses together, aiding the move from an annual renewal-based business model to a recurring-revenue annuity business model.

Trend Micro MSP Solutions are Now Integrated into ConnectWise

• Trend Micro helps increase automation and scalability through a direct integration with ConnectWise to automate billing, ticketing and reporting.
• The cloud-based provisioning, deployment, management, monitoring, and reporting solutions provided by Trend Micro eliminate setup/startup costs associated with on-boarding of managed services clients.
• Trend Micro's broad platform support (Windows, Mac, Android) and Trend Micro™ Worry-Free Business Security product-family options (WFBS Services, Standard, Advanced, and Hosted Email Security) provide more revenue- generating opportunities for MSP partners.

"The Trend Micro MSP program tools help our security business, particularly as it relates to the state of licenses and updates — we never had the ability to manage our clients at this level and it has made us much more efficient," said Michael Beecher, president, EscapeWire Solutions. 

Trend Micro's New PartnerPlus Portal is Now Available in the USA

The new PartnerPlus Portal, designed specifically to support Trend Micro partners growing their security practice, serves as the central hub for sales tools, training, certification, on-demand marketing, announcements, promotions, webinars, and much more. The new portal provides:

• Enhanced ease of use
• Updated product information and collateral
• A unique "My Account" feature which provides direct access to sales opportunities, programs and reports

The PartnerPlus Portal will fully support the new upcoming Trend Micro PartnerPlus Program, a program that offers several unique features and benefits to help Trend Micro partners grow their business. The program enhancements coming soon include:

• Simplicity— Trend Micro is changing the partner-level naming convention. The new PartnerPlus tiers will become Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. As partners progress up through partner levels, it will be easier for them to increase their knowledge of Trend Micro solutions, and gain a wealth of benefits.
• Training & Education— Comprehensive online and classroom-based training courses will be offered to strengthen partners' technical expertise, increase their industry recognition, help accelerate the sales process—and their revenues. This will all be available through the new PartnerPlus Portal.
• Specializations—Trend Micro will offer specialization certifications in cloud-based security, small business security, and managed security services. Being a specialized Trend Micro partner opens the doors to extra benefits, which can include preferred listing on the Trend Micro partner locator, deal registration, priority lead pass, and more.

The PartnerPlus Program enhancements will be effective Q1 2013.

About Trend Micro
Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704;TSE: 4704), the global cloud security leader, creates a world safe for exchanging digital information with its Internet content security and threat management solutions for businesses and consumers.  A pioneer in server security with over 20 years' experience, we deliver top-ranked client, server and cloud-based security that fits our customers' and partners' needs, stops new threats faster, and protects data in physical, virtualized and cloud environments. Powered by the industry-leading Trend Micro Smart Protection Network cloud computing security infrastructure, our products and services stop threats where they emerge – from the Internet. They are supported by 1,000+ threat intelligence experts around the globe. 

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SOURCE Trend Micro Incorporated