Palo Alto Networks Partner Program Touts SASE, Cloud, XDR, SOAR

Palo Alto Networks has unveiled NextWave 3.0, a new version of its channel partner program. NextWave 3.0 offers new program incentives and other enhancements.

Key features of NextWave 3.0 include:

NextWave 3.0 empowers channel partners to deliver complementary solutions to help their customers enhance their security architecture, Palo Alto Networks said. In doing so, it can help partners differentiate their security services, build new security expertise and increase their profits.

A Closer Look at NextWave

NextWave lets channel partners integrate Palo Alto Networks' cloud, network and artificial intelligence-based threat protection solutions into their portfolios, the company indicated. That way, partners can use the program to bolster their security offerings and help organizations keep pace with evolving cyber threats.

Approximately 6,500 channel partners have joined NextWave, Palo Alto Networks said. These partners help approximately 80,000 customers leverage Palo Alto Networks security technologies to guard against cyberattacks and data breaches.

More than 18,000 partner engineers hold over 40,000 Palo Alto Networks technical certifications from NextWave, according to the company. In addition, 900 NextWave partners doubled their business through Palo Alto Networks in fiscal year 2020.

Palo Alto Networks Updates SASE Security Platform, Acquires Bridgecrew

The NextWave 3.0 announcement comes after Palo Alto Networks this month updated its Prisma Access security access service edge (SASE) platform with new performance, security and management capabilities.

Palo Alto Networks also this month acquired Bridgecrew, a cloud security posture startup, for $156 million in cash. The company will integrate Bridgecrew into its Prisma Cloud solution to provide developers with security assessment and enforcement capabilities throughout the DevOps process.