In this Channel Partner TV interview, DNSFilter channel leader Dan Cucchi explains how and why the AI-powered content filtering company “reinvented” its channel program by adding MDFs and other features.

Cucchi, who spent 14 years at ConnectWise and joined DNSFilter as VP of MSP and channel sales a year ago, said DNSFilter has about 6,000 MSPs and more than 45,000 organizations using its technology. He said rapid industry changes prompted DNSFilter to enhance its MSP Partner Program. It introduced a structured three-tiered model to help partners invest in growing security services.

“We're trying to reestablish our brand in the MSP space,” said Cucchi, who added the new program adds features but doesn’t take away any previous benefits. “As we've grown as a business, we have found some successes outside of the MSP space in the enterprise market. And that's great for the business, but our founder used to run an MSP, so at our core, MSP is incredibly important to us. As far as revenue is concerned, it is the largest piece of the pie. Because of that, we wanted to reinvent the partner program and add more to lean into the MSPs and help MSPs grow their business.”

Under the new DNSFilter tiering system, top MSPs get higher discounts and marketing assistance.

“One of the things we now have as part of a partner program is an MDF program,” Cucchi said. “So you can earn marketing development funds by working and growing with DNSFilter. We've done this in the past, but we hadn't ever formalized it, and that is a big piece of the new partner program.”

He said the impact of AI on the industry is one of the triggers for the expanded partner program.

“This industry is changing more rapidly now than it probably ever has,” Cucchi said. “You probably could make that statement for every industry, given AI right now. I don't think any MSP out there doesn't already know that. But how to lean into that is the challenge that most MSPs are facing. What we're doing on our side is continuing to evolve and understand where the risks lie with not only AI, but just cybersecurity in general, which is evolving at just as fast, if not a faster rate from a threats standpoint because of AI.”

Cucchi said DNSFilter helps MSPs and their customers by offering features including advanced filtering, user behavior analytics, AI governance and encryption, and data security. “We’re leaning into those four categories,” he said.

Watch the entire video at the top of the page to learn what DNSFilter is doing in each of those areas.