Barracuda overhauls BarracudaONE & partner programme

Barracuda has updated its BarracudaONE cybersecurity platform and overhauled its partner programme. The changes span email security, network access and oversight of generative AI use.

The updates are aimed at organisations including managed service providers and their customers, while the revised partner model brings MSPs, resellers and hybrid partners into a single programme.

Platform update

BarracudaONE now adds email protection for Google Workspace through Barracuda Email Protection, extending impersonation protection and automated incident response beyond Microsoft 365. This is intended to give customers a more consistent approach to email security across the two major workplace platforms.

Barracuda has also introduced Barracuda SecureEdge Access, a cloud-delivered secure service edge offering that combines secure internet access, zero trust application access, firewall-as-a-service and controls for generative AI usage. It is designed to provide a single point of management for access and policy settings across distributed environments.

Another addition is Barracuda AI Security, included within BarracudaONE at no extra cost. It is designed to give customers visibility into unsanctioned use of generative AI tools, assign risk scores and enforce policies that can block or redirect non-compliant activity.

Centralised multitenant dashboards are also part of the latest release. These are intended to help organisations and service providers monitor protected environments, reduce data exposure and improve oversight of AI use.

Partner changes

Alongside the product update, Barracuda has revised its global Partner Success Program, merging MSPs and resellers into one framework to reflect how many channel businesses now operate across multiple sales and service models.

The new structure introduces unified tiering, with a base set of benefits for all partners and additional incentives based on route to market. Changes include a revised rebate model, a reworked certification curriculum and a new Barracuda Mastery Program intended to deepen technical knowledge.

Barracuda is also rolling out new Partner Success teams and support plans to give partners clearer guidance and more structured support as they sell and manage its services.

An updated partner portal sits at the centre of the revised programme. Barracuda says the portal uses AI to support guided onboarding, automated deal registration, dashboards, learning paths, market development fund tracking and access to co-branded sales and marketing materials.

Rohit Ghai, chief executive officer of Barracuda, linked the update to shifts in the threat landscape and the growing use of AI tools in workplaces.

"Email and identity‐based attacks are intensifying at an unprecedented pace, and generative AI is introducing an entirely new layer of risk," said Ghai.

"With our newest BarracudaONE and partner program enhancements, we're accelerating innovation and delivering on our commitment to provide a platform that is easy to buy, deploy and use as well as being partner-first and partner-only. We're harnessing AI to empower organisations to keep pace with a rapidly evolving threat landscape and build lasting resilience with confidence."

Channel response

Barracuda included feedback from partners using the platform and operating under its channel model. Their comments focused on operational simplicity, visibility across customer environments and predictable margins.

"BarracudaONE's expanded platform and the enhancements to the Partner Success Program give us exactly what we need to stay ahead of fast‐moving threats," said Steven Carey, director of product management at Connection.

"The unified approach across email, access and AI security helps us deliver stronger outcomes with less operational overhead, and the refreshed incentives and support structure make it easier to grow profitably and sustainably alongside Barracuda."

Lawrence Troemel, managing partner and president at NobleTec, said the revised programme reflects how managed service providers now work.

"Barracuda continues to demonstrate what a true partner‐first model looks like," said Troemel.

"The modernisation of its partner program reflects a deep understanding of how today's MSPs operate. The new tiering model and AI‐enabled partner portal give our teams clearer pathways to differentiate, accelerate service delivery and drive measurable customer value."

In Australia and New Zealand, Territory Technology Solutions said the reporting functions exposed through the BarracudaONE API have reduced manual work and improved visibility for both the provider and its clients.

"For us, BarracudaONE means no more manual screenshots or time‐consuming exports just to show the value we're delivering. Using the BarracudaONE API, we have reporting that gives us clear, consolidated visibility across our environment. Having direct access to the data allows us to tailor reports to what the business and our clients actually care about, automate updates and surface insights far faster than with manual processes," said Michael Feldbauer, managing director of Territory Technology Solutions.

"Through BarracudaONE we can clearly show what threats have been blocked, which users are being targeted most, how many emails are archived, whether backups have completed successfully, what data is protected, and the overall health of the solutions customers have purchased. Just as importantly, we can deliver this reporting on demand, or at a cadence that works for both our team and our clients, whether that's daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly."