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Techaisle Blog

Insightful research, flexible data, and deep analysis by a global SMB IT Market Research and Industry Analyst organization dedicated to tracking the Future of SMBs and Channels.
Anurag Agrawal

AWS SMB Competency: Equipping Partners to Capture the Next-Gen Cloud Opportunity

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has been a leader in cloud computing since 2006. Its success depends on a strong network of channel partners. These partners are brought together through the AWS Partner Network (APN), which fosters collaboration and enables the creation of solutions and services for customers. The APN has expanded over time to include various programs. It's worth noting that the APN has over 130,000 partners from 150 countries, with nearly 70% headquartered outside the US. Although large enterprises have greatly benefited from these programs, AWS has recognized small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) play a significant role in the global economy. As a result, AWS has recently introduced the SMB Competency Program, a strategic initiative designed to empower partners serving SMB customers. After extensive discussions with partners and an in-depth understanding of SMB requirements, AWS unveiled its robust program in January 2024.

AWS SMB Competency Partners provide solutions and services tailored to SMBs' requirements. This covers platform solutions such as migration and modernization, security, data storage, disaster recovery, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and SaaS solutions, including accounting, resource management, customer service, and relationship management. AWS SMB Competency Partners serve as a single source for SMBs who want to use the AWS cloud to solve their specific business problems.

The inaugural iteration of the program comprises 30 partners, spanning services and software with expertise in managed services, security, AI, modernization, migration, disaster recovery, and cloud business applications. These categories have been thoughtfully chosen to align with SMB priorities.

I have personally spoken with each of these 30 partners, and they unanimously endorse and express enthusiasm for the AWS SMB Competency program.

smb title card

According to Techaisle’s 2024 research data on SMB and Midmarket priorities and challenges, 55% of customers view partner competencies as “absolutely essential” when assessing partner capabilities. In contrast, 36% of customers prioritize certifications in their evaluation. This emphasizes competencies' critical role in demonstrating a partner’s expertise and ability to meet customer needs.

Focused on growth and committed to new solutions that expand business horizons – the SMB market is on the brink of a multi-year growth trajectory.

Anurag Agrawal

2024 Top 10 SMB and Midmarket business issues, IT priorities and challenges

Focused on growth and committed to new solutions that expand business horizons – the SMB market is on the brink of a multi-year growth trajectory.

They are here - Techaisle's annual SMB, Core Midmarket and Upper Midmarket Top 10 IT Priorities, IT Challenges, and Business Issues infographics, 13th year of Techaisle tracking at a WW level, and is sought after by IT vendors, channel partners, and media. Techaisle surveyed nearly 5000 SMBs and Midmarket firms, quota sampled to ensure adequate coverage of four small businesses (1-9, 10-19, 20-49, and 50-99 employees), three core midmarket (100-249, 250-499, and 500-999 employees) and two upper midmarket (1000-2499, 2500-4999) segments. As a result, the data represents a robust and reliable sampling of the market segment for IT products and services.

Techaisle surveys thousands of small and midsized businesses (SMBs) to understand technology imperatives and directions. The annual survey establishes context by asking respondents to identify their top business goals, technology priorities, and IT challenges for the upcoming year.

2024 top10 smb it priorities business issues techaisle infographic

Redefining the art of the possible

The SMB market is a study in contrasts: the tension between boundless aspiration and a constrained reality. However, data shows that a market that has mastered the cloud and is excited by AI will dedicate itself to growth in 2024.

Anurag Agrawal

Zero Trust Adoption in the SMB and Midmarket: Drivers, Challenges, and Partner Ecosystem

Zero Trust (ZT) is a concept that, while not universally recognized, holds significant relevance in many organizations, particularly within the mid-market sector. Techaisle’s SMB and Midmarket Security Adoption Trends research shows that Its awareness is relatively low in the small business segment, with a mere 8% familiarity. However, this awareness escalates within larger organizations, reaching 46% in core midmarket businesses (100-999 employees) and 69% in upper midmarket businesses (1000-4999 employees). This trend intensifies when examining the perceived importance of ZT among those aware of it. Only 29% of small businesses regard ZT as more than “moderately important,” whereas a staggering 90% of core midmarket and 93% of upper midmarket firms deem Zero Trust as “important” or “very important.”

About 30% of upper midmarket organizations are engaged in Zero Trust (ZT) access projects. In contrast, 45% of small businesses, compared to a mere 1%-2% of midmarket firms, have no immediate plans to implement ZT access. The data reveals that a significant number of businesses have initiated the deployment of ZT access solutions: 86% of upper midmarket firms, 69% of core midmarket organizations, and 42% of small businesses.

techaisle smb midmarket zero trust

Balancing Immediate Needs with Proactive Planning: Zero Trust Drivers for Different SMB Segments

Cutting-edge midmarket companies are embracing a variety of adoption drivers in response to Zero Trust’s (ZT) capabilities. These capabilities resonate with executives addressing immediate needs, adapting to alterations in their IT landscapes, and proactively forecasting future demands. As with most business decisions, leadership teams carve out paths to success that align best with corporate requirements. ZT stands out for its unique ability to cater to a spectrum, or even a blend, of diverse motivations.

Anurag Agrawal

MDR Adoption Booms in Midmarket, Slow in SMB: An Opportunity for Vendors

SMBs are the backbone of any economy and are crucial in driving innovation and creating jobs. Yet, when it comes to cybersecurity, they often lag behind larger enterprises, lacking the resources and expertise to defend against sophisticated cyberattacks. This is where Managed Detection and Response (MDR) emerges, offering SMBs a cost-effective and scalable solution to secure their valuable data and infrastructure.

The cybersecurity landscape is littered with threats, and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are often the most vulnerable targets. According to Techaisle's research, not many SMBs are aware of Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services, a powerful tool designed to safeguard against cyberattacks. This begs the question: are SMBs missing out on a critical line of defense in today's ever-evolving digital landscape?

Awareness drives adoption

Techaisle’s SMB and Midmarket research data shows that small businesses are at a much earlier stage of their journey to MDR than their midmarket peers. Just 17% of companies with 1-99 employees report being aware of MDR, compared with 61% of core midmarket firms and 76% of upper midmarket organizations. Looking only at companies that are aware of MDR, current adoption rates mirror this pattern: 5% of small businesses that are aware of MDR are currently using these services versus 45% of core midmarket and 58% of upper midmarket organizations and virtually all companies that are aware of but not using MDR are either currently considering MDR or planning to evaluate these services within the next 12-18 months. These statistics indicate tremendous potential in each SMB segment: vendors must boost awareness of MDR’s benefits while executing an effective conversion strategy. This is especially true in small businesses – which should be an excellent fit segment for a managed service.

Selling sophisticated products to SMB customers is a significant challenge for IT vendors. This problem is especially acute with cybersecurity. Most SMB and Midmarket customer environments need defenses against many different types of threats, attackers, and threat vectors. Most SMBs lack the internal resources to understand what is required to protect against vulnerabilities and how different “shields” can be connected without leaving (or even creating) exploitable gaps in defense posture. Even the channel partners struggle to keep pace with simultaneous growth in threats and threat actors, vulnerabilities tied to in-use technologies or common business practices, and the ever-changing security vendor community.

techaisle smb mdr

Research You Can Rely On | Analysis You Can Act Upon

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