SecureData, MIS drive managed services

By Alex Kayle for SecureData
Johannesburg, 08 Jun 2009

JSE-listed SecureData is aggressively driving its managed security services division, following its 100% acquisition of information security company MIS CDS (Management Information Systems Corporate Defence Solutions) in a R183.9 million-deal last year.

MIS CDS was established as an IT security-specific organisation in 1992 and is based in the UK. Etienne Greeff, professional services director for MIS CDS, said in a visit to SecureData's headquarters in Bryanston last week that a good cultural fit exists between the two organisations.

Strategic move

According to Greeff, the acquisition has been strategic in addressing skills shortfalls in the managed security services environment, especially amid the economic crisis: “There's a clear skills shortage in the South African security services market. There's still a lot of money out there but the outlook is very cloudy; businesses are reluctant to make investments in training because they aren't able to see beyond the next six months and are delaying big capital purchases.”

Greeff says MIS is bringing its UK skills training into the South African market. He notes that one of the biggest challenges in the business environment is that companies don't have the skills base to operate cost-saving technology.

Do more with less

To address this shortfall, MIS has signed a long-term deal with SecureData to provide its channel customers with remote managed services for those technologies.

“Our main goal is to put together a very credible managed security offering delivered by the channel. Juniper Networks is becoming a dominant player globally and there's very little skill in SA around Juniper technologies.”

Greeff adds: “As a SecureData reseller, MIS can offer a managed service, from a delivery point of view, equivalent to the bigger players out there to enable our channel partners in SA to do more with less. There's three broad capabilities we're offering - traditional remote support services, monitoring critical parameters of the security infrastructure, and responding on a 24/7 basis.”

According to Greeff, risk has become a bigger part of business decision-making and the world has become more focused on regulations because of the global recession.

“As a consequence, risk is playing a more important business role going forward. Local security skills are not going to get better in the short term and it will take a while for the local skills situation to get better.”