Content, Endpoint/Device Security, Network Security

VMware Carbon Black MSSPs Gain Network Detection Security Capabilities

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 03: A sign is posted in front of a Broadcom office on June 03, 2021 in San Jose, California. Chipmaker Broadcom will report second quarter earnings today after the closing bell and is expected to beat analyst expectations. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

VMware is embedding network detection visibility capabilities into Carbon Black Cloud's endpoint protection platform, the software company announced during the VMware Explore 2022 conference (formerly VMworld) in San Francisco, California.

MSSPs that run Carbon Black can leverage the new capabilities without making changes to infrastructure or endpoints, VMware indicated.

VMware Multi-Cloud Security, API Protection Strategy

Additional security-related announcements at VMware Explore 2022 included:

  • The launch of Project Northstar for multi-cloud networking, security and end-to-end visibility;
  • Project Trinidad to extend and advance VMware’s API security and analytics; and
  • Project Watch, a "new approach to multi-cloud networking and security that provides advanced app to app policy controls," the company said.

The security news surfaces as Broadcom seeks to finalize its $61 billion buyout of VMware. The pending deal has triggered some concerns among MSSPs that run VMware Carbon Black security software. Indeed, Broadcom is best known as an enterprise technology provider with a strong direct sales motion.

Carbon Black's MSSP Partner History

When VMware acquired Carbon Black in late 2019, the security business had more than 5,600 global customers supported by more than 500 MSSPs, VARs, distributors and technology integrators, MSSP Alert reported at the time.

Ahead of that deal, partners influenced more than 90 percent of Carbon Black’s sales. Moreover, MSSPs were influencing some of Carbon Black’s largest customer wins.

Fast forward to May 2022, and VMware didn’t even mention the Carbon Black security business in quarterly earnings report. Meanwhile, rivals such as CrowdStrike and SentinelOne (among others) have successfully integrated their software with various MSP tools. The result has been thousands (yes, thousands) of MSPs and MSSPs rolling out CrowdStrike and SentinelOne to protect end-customer systems.

Joe Panettieri

Joe Panettieri is co-founder & editorial director of MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E, the two leading news & analysis sites for managed service providers in the cybersecurity market.