DNSFilter, a provider of DNS protection solutions, has launched a partner portal designed to encourage collaboration and information-sharing among MSPs. The portal also gives partners access to more traditional resources, including a training curriculum and marketing tools.
With the portal, DNSFilter is making accessible to partners the tools and information they need to market DNS solutions to end customers. Cyberattacks involving DNS are among the most common, along with those involving ransomware and phishing as well as distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.
“Today, more than 70% of breaches impact the DNS layer. Every internet-connected device relies on DNS. DNS is the first line of defense against cyberthreats,” says Mikey Pruitt (pictured), who leads DNSFilter’s global partner program.
Ransomware payloads, he says, often are delivered through DNS. “Arguably, DNS attacks are more prevalent because they are associated with many more types of common attacks such as phishing, internet spoofing, malicious domains, and more. For example, DNSFilter identified over 10 billion DNS queries to phishing sites in the last year.”
Learning through Collaboration
The DNSFilter partner portal strengthens the vendor’s partner support offerings. In November, DNSFilter launched its global partner program, which the company says has been growing rapidly.
The portal further sharpens the vendor’s focus on providing MSPs, MSSPs, VARs, and distributors with resources to sell DNS solutions, Pruitt says. But rather than narrowing those resources to training and marketing, Pruitt notes, the vendor also wants to create a sense of community among partners.
The idea is to learn through collaboration. The portal gives partners a venue to connect, collaborate, and share threat information and lessons learned—with each other as well as with the DNSFilter team.
“We all learn from each other. No channel partner can exist in a silo,” Pruitt says. “There is just too much information to master. Collaboration significantly reduces knowledge gaps because someone else has already experienced your current situation.”
While DNSFilter partners have a solid understanding of DNS threats, Pruitt notes that new threats pop up constantly. It’s challenging for partners to keep up with the never-ending flow of information. The portal serves to keep them current on threats while creating transparency for the vendor. “It’s important to partner with a vendor you can trust and verify so you can focus on running your business and other pressing priorities,” Pruitt says.
Training and Marketing
Besides information-sharing, the portal provides training and marketing resources. For training, partners can access eight to 10-minute sessions on various topics, including how to use and deploy DNSFilter, set up policies, and leverage best practices. Partners can earn certifications upon completing training.
“Bite-size lessons and clearly defined courses are a key factor in our training strategy,” Pruitt says. “DNSFilter is very easy to use but getting started with any new tool can be paralyzing. The quick, concise lessons help to get over that first hurdle.”
For marketing, the portal delivers branded and unbranded content, customer success stories, data sheets, and files partners can use in their programs. The portal also spotlights MSP success stories in deploying DNSFilter solutions.
PEDRO PEREIRA is a New Hampshire-based freelance writer who has covered the IT channel for two decades.
