Ontinue Launches First Channel Partner Program to Accelerate Growth for Partners Focused on Providing Always-on Protection

New Partner Program Enables Partners to Expand Their Cybersecurity Practices With the Industry’s Leading MXDR Service; Tim Wheatley Joins as Vice President of Channel and Alliances

Ontinue, the managed detection and response (MDR) division of Open Systems and winner of the 2022 Microsoft Security MSSP Partner of the Year award, today launched its new partner program to team up with strategic partners focused on helping Microsoft customers in their digital transformation journeys. This announcement follows the launch of Ontinue’s new ION managed extended detection and response (MXDR) service, which is exclusively focused on supporting Microsoft security solutions. Together, Ontinue and partners can build a predictable and profitable business that drives customer loyalty and high renewals, with the industry’s first MXDR provider delivering automation, collaboration and prevention. Leading the program is veteran channel executive Tim Wheatley, who has joined Ontinue as Vice President of Channel and Alliances.

“The strategic relationships we have with Microsoft and many of their top cyber partners have contributed greatly to our success. The launch of this new program – tailored specifically for Microsoft partners – allows us to engage with a focused set of partners, giving them new opportunities to expand their cyber business,” said Chris Raniere, Ontinue’s Chief Revenue Officer. “To help drive our channel-first initiatives, we brought on Tim Wheatley, a seasoned channel executive and Microsoft veteran, to run it. Tim brings more than 20 years of experience within the channel, and I have full confidence in his leadership to take our program to new heights.”

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The Ontinue Partner Program is committed to ensuring the success of partners by delivering deep security expertise and an AI-based, cloud-delivered MXDR service that is simple to deploy and manage. The newly launched partner program offers the following benefits:

• Unrivaled cybersecurity and Microsoft Expertise: Ontinue is the winner of Microsoft’s Global MSSP Award, has been MXDR verified by Microsoft and has achieved Microsoft Advanced Specializations in Threat Protection and Cloud Security
• Accelerated Microsoft Sales: Ontinue helps drive predictable Azure consumption while minimizing or eliminating investment in a partner-owned SOC while simultaneously extending the Microsoft 365 E5 Security stack with the Ontinue ION MXDR platform
• Increased Customer Renewals: Ontinue maximizes the value customers realize from Microsoft Sentinel and the Microsoft 365 E5 Security stack, ensuring renewals and customer satisfaction
• Rewards and Incentives: Partners receive incentives, enablement and joint marketing initiatives that help drive revenue

“I’m excited to be part of the Ontinue team and for the opportunity to create a partner program from the ground up that is designed for partners to succeed,” said Wheatley. “Partnering with companies offering complementary products, technologies and services focused on Microsoft is vital to our mission of becoming the most trusted 24/7 security partner for mid-sized companies, empowering them to operate more strategically with less risk. Our new ION service is the MXDR service of choice for Microsoft customers and represents an outstanding opportunity for our channel partners. Our partner-friendly program provides our referral, reseller and systems integrator partners with opportunity protection, enablement, joint selling and marketing to grow our security practices together.”

Wheatley is responsible for driving Ontinue’s Channel Go-to-Market strategy as well as enhancing the strategic Microsoft alignment and engagement. Prior to joining Ontinue, he was the Global Channel Chief at Zimperium, a leader in mobile device and application security. He is also a Microsoft veteran, and his last role was serving as Global Strategy & Business Development for the Cybersecurity Solutions Group. In this role, he worked with Microsoft’s strategic Security Partners globally, crafting solution offerings and landing them with their customers. Wheatley has also held channel-related positions with organizations such as Okta, Oracle and boutique system integrators.

Ontinue ION sets the new standard for MXDR services. It uniquely delivers Nonstop SecOps with 24/7, always-on protection while increasing overall security program maturity, efficacy and scalability. The ION service brings together the cloud-native ION platform and the ION Cyber Defense Center, a 24/7 globally distributed security operation staffed by experts including the company’s teams of Cyber Advisors and Cyber Defenders. The ION platform integrates advanced automation and real-time collaboration capabilities from the recent acquisition of Tiberium, a highly automated managed security services provider based on Microsoft security solutions. These capabilities power several innovations that elevate ION over other MXDR services.

Microsoft Security Experts

Ontinue offers unrivaled cybersecurity and Microsoft expertise that makes it an ideal partner for other Microsoft-focused vendors. Ontinue is a five-time Microsoft Gold Partner, one of the original MSSPs to join the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA), a Microsoft Design Partner involved in developing Microsoft Security Experts and was honored in 2022 as the Microsoft Security MSSP Partner of the Year.

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