INGRAM MICRO Emphasizes the Challenges in the SME Sector and the Path Forward

Ingram Micro assists companies in maximizing the value of the technology they create, sell, or utilize, enabling them to further grasp the potential of technology. The Integrator had the chance to have an exclusive conversation with Dr. Ali Baghdadi, SVP & Chief Country Executive, META, Ingram Micro.

Tell us about the cyber security solutions that Ingram Micro offers and distributes, and how prepared is the Middle Eastern market in terms of cybersecurity adaptation and awareness.

As we all know, one of the biggest challenges in cybersecurity is the need for comprehensive solutions. Previously, a product could have been an antivirus or something similar, but today, we must look for complete solutions to protect cyberspace. At Ingram Micro, we have a full range that comes not only from the leading vendors but also from emerging vendors – which we refer to as the EVG (Emerging Vendor Group) – offering unique, modern, and advanced solutions.

In addition to distributing or supplying those products, we offer several complementary services to support our solutions.

As part of Ingram Micro’s global strategy, we established what we call ‘’centers of excellence.’’ So far, we have six centers of excellence worldwide. One of these centers is in Dubai, while others are in the Netherlands, Belgrade, Mexico, California, Singapore, and India, and they function as MSSPs (Managed

Security Service Providers). Their services include penetration testing, assessments, and consulting. They are vendor-agnostic.

Additionally, we have developed tools that are available for free to our partners. Using our tools, consumers can determine the solution that best suits their needs. One is a NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) questionnaire, and the other is a Basic Vulnerability and Exposure questionnaire. The purpose of these tools is to help the customer understand what their needs are likely to be so that a solution can be provided accordingly.

What recommendations do you have for SMEs in 2023 and beyond?

Specifically, what aspects should they be paying attention to or adopting?

To protect businesses, it is critical to understand how criminals, hackers, and organizations attack them. Educating your employees is always a wise idea. In my opinion, this is the most vital piece of basic knowledge that will save you from trouble. Many fundamentals must be adhered to, including choosing the correct password and not clicking on a suspicious link, which could likely be a phishing email.

So, never stop updating your software and never sleep on it. Regularly updating your device’s operating systems when notified to do so will help patch security gaps and keep you safe from cyber threats to a substantial extent. Employing multi-factor authentication (MFA) is another highly effective security control to protect an organization’s valuable data. Rather than just asking for a password, MFA entails using two or more independent credentials to achieve authentication.

Our overall view is that SMEs are reasonably approaching the subject of cybersecurity with seriousness and adapting to changes. SME companies are aware of the cybersecurity threats and are working in their capacity to deal with them. In addition, Ingram Micro is working on educational material all the time. We have training centers, and we market their worth.

What are the most recent market trends in cloud-based security technology?

We see SaaS and other software as a service being used to deploy security products. So, this could be why companies prefer to pay a monthly subscription fee rather than a lump sum upfront. However, the actual product is in the hands of the vendor, where it is being upgraded and updated, so the company need not worry about managing its own installed software. Some cloud vendors do these activities for their consumption, but as your company grows, they will need to know how many IP addresses or assets you now have and charge you accordingly. We at Ingram Micro invested in our own cloud platform about eight years ago. Since then, we have invested in acquiring software companies, and have been able to enhance our platform’s functionality using our CloudBlue platform technology. CloudBlue helps aggregate and provision software and security vendors.

Could you share more insights on the launch of “Ingram Micro Xvantage” in Europe & North America? What are the benefits the MEA region should expect from it?

Ingram Micro Xvantage is a fully digital and intelligent, self-learning global experience platform—much like those we use daily to hire a driver, order groceries or find a place to stay. The platform is used by Ingram Micro’s associates, solution providers and vendor partners—each having their own unique view—to connect, collaborate, learn and manage Ingram Micro’s entire business of products, services, software, cloud and business solutions in one “single pane of glass.” The Xvantage digital experience platform is powered by a global real time data mesh containing many years of operating and transactions data, as well as by several proprietary engines which are enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

Is Ingram Micro adopting application software like e-commerce, logistics, and supply chain to follow the sales engagement process with this partner network?

Ingram Micro has its online e-commerce platform, known as IM360, as well as warehouse management software, known as IWM, or Ingram Micro Warehouse Management. We also have many clever software modules that are part of Xvantage. These modules are visible and accessible to the outside world via Xvantage. In addition to e-commerce, we also offer business intelligence tools that are artificially intelligent to help determine what our partners require based on past interactions. Considering what they might like to buy and whom they are working with, we can recommend the most appropriate solutions. There are hundreds of advanced tools included in Xvantage, so you don’t have to deal with each tool separately. Our goal is to make it easier for our partners to deal with this by providing more value. most important stocks. We place orders in advance to ensure we will be able to accommodate the demand from these regions. Furthermore, we hold stocks on behalf of Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, and Morocco at our Dubai warehouse.

How

is Ingram Micro tackling the delays in hardware due to global supply chain issues?

As with everyone else, the supply chain of components has affected the hardware supply. We are working closely with vendors who have been impacted. It is encouraging to see that the situation is improving. We have been collaborating with our vendors to better understand what is being supplied and then advising them on what the market requires. As part of our inventory management system, we have a large central warehouse facility called IMPE (Ingram Micro Pan Europe Warehouse) that acts as a buffer to store inventory and serves the entire EMEA region (Europe, the Middle East, & Africa). It is there that we keep the

We also helped educate our partners on how to transition from hardware to software solutions. As a result, we were able to replace many hardware products with software solutions, thus allowing us to expand our cloud and software solutions business.

Is there a message you would like to convey to our audiences pertaining to your overall engagement, SMEs, partner network, or security-based mapping?

We have a tremendous opportunity in the security sector. First, you must educate and specialize in the right skills; the fundamentals are important, and then you can become a specialist. This is one of the fastest-growing sectors. Every company must deploy skilled people in these areas; there is an opportunity here. Leveraging the support we offer at Ingram Micro, you can obtain fundamental training and a better understanding of the solutions out there.