RSA, The Security Division of EMC, Selects Managed Services Accreditation Program™ for New MSSP Program

MSAP exam to be administered to RSA MSSPs

CHICO, CA, (May 4, 2009) – The International Association of Managed Service Providers (MSPAlliance - www.mspalliance.com) today announced that its Managed Services Accreditation Program (MSAP) has been selected for the new SecurWorld Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) program from RSA, the Security Division of EMC. The RSA SecurWorld MSSP program will utilize the MSAP exam as the cornerstone of its vetting process for companies seeking to enter the managed security profession.

“As the market leader in strong authentication and data protection solutions, RSA needed a viable and neutral standard upon which to base our new MSSP program,” said Bill Taylor, senior director, Global Channels and Alliances, at RSA, The Security Division of EMC. “The MSPAlliance Managed Services Accreditation Program gives us and our managed services partners the assurance that quality, integrity, and professionalism will be maintained, as well as ensuring that end-users are receiving the highest quality services from a trusted provider.

“Businesses are under increased pressure to select IT solution providers that are not only technically proficient but also capable of dealing with the responsibility of managing often complex security requirements,” said Counse Broders, senior research director for Telecom Services with Current Analysis. “This is a positive step for solution providers that operate in the channel and a positive step for businesses that can count on greater accountability and quality assurance from their IT providers.”

MSSPs that want to enter the RSA SecurWorld MSSP program will be required to pass the MSAP exam. Complete details about the new RSA SecurWorld MSSP program will be announced later in Q2 2009.

“As a leading provider of managed security solutions and technologies, the RSA SecurWorld MSSP program will provide me with a mark of distinction that tells my clients we are an experienced, credible, and trustworthy company,” said John Menezes, president of Cyberklix.

“This is a great honor for the MSPs who created the Managed Services Accreditation Program,” said Charles Weaver, president of MSPAlliance. “To see the MSAP used in such an impressive and global capacity as the RSA SecurWorld MSSP program is a true testament to the high standards embodied in the MSAP.”

Additional details about the MSAP exam can be found at http://www.mspalliance.com or by sending an email to info@mspalliance.com

About MSPAlliance
The MSPAlliance is the world’s largest professional association and accrediting body for the Managed Services Industry.  Comprised of more than 8,000 managed service providers (MSPs) and service enabling technology vendors, the MSPAlliance works in a collaborative effort to define, promote and educate the Managed Services Industry and the end-user consumer on the adoption and successful use of technology through Managed Services. The MSPAlliance is committed to increasing reliability and dependability in the industry surrounding the value and benefit of using Managed Service Providers to provide a wide range of mission-critical services. In addition, the MSPAlliance collects data on the practice of managed services on behalf of its members, to help them increase the value delivery of IT to the organizations they serve. For more information about the MSPAlliance please visit www.mspalliance.com