The managed services market (MSP) in Spain is undergoing a profound transformation, and Acronis has positioned itself as a disruptive player. According to data presented by Eduardo García Sancho, General Manager of Acronis Iberia, the company closed the first half of 2026 with results that double or even quadruple the industry averages. While the MSP market grows between 5% and 6% annually, Acronis grows at a rate four times higher, with a 22% year-over-year increase in recurring cloud billing, 9% more customers, and a 28% increase in billable workloads.

Acronis' dominance in the Spanish MSP ecosystem

García Sancho highlighted that Acronis is, by far, the technology provider with the most MSP partners in Spain, and its platform is the most evolved for this channel. "We were born and have developed our technology by and for MSPs," he stated. This approach is reflected in an 11% increase in the number of partner organizations in the last year, and that more than 8.4% of active partners work with continuous commitment. According to the executive, the key is that "the best way to reach the bulk of Spanish companies — that 97%-99% that are SMEs — is through MSPs."

Protection against AI risks: Acronis GenAI Protection

Artificial intelligence is generating new forms of cyber insecurity, such as industrialized phishing and AI-based attacks. To address this challenge, Acronis has launched Acronis GenAI Protection, a solution that allows SMEs to use AI safely. Víctor Villar Ruiz, Product Manager, explained that this tool offers three key capabilities: discovering and monitoring the use of AI tools (including unauthorized ones, known as Shadow AI), applying data protection controls (DLP) to block the sending of confidential information, and protecting against threats such as prompt injection attacks or social engineering. "This represents a democratization of cybersecurity for SMEs," García Sancho emphasized, as until now only large companies had access to this type of protection. For more context on AI risks, we recommend reading our article on AI Agents Under Attack.

Infrastructure as a service with digital sovereignty: Acronis Cyber Frame

Another pillar of Acronis' strategy is Acronis Cyber Frame, a solution that allows deploying infrastructure as a service (IaaS) both on hyperscalers and in local virtualized environments. Villar Ruiz highlighted that "digital sovereignty means that our data stays with us and is not simply available to anyone." Cyber Frame integrates backup, EDR, remote management, and disaster response in a single package, simplifying MSP operations. "We are not just an infrastructure provider, but also a provider of backup, cybersecurity, remote management, ticketing, and much more," he stated. This solution responds to the trend of partial return to local or hybrid infrastructures due to availability, cost, and data sovereignty issues. If you want to delve deeper into how to protect your network, check out our Ultimate Guide to Setting Up Secure VPNs and Firewalls.

MDR designed for the channel: Acronis MCR with TRU

Acronis has also introduced Acronis MCR, a managed detection and response (MDR) service 24/7/365, backed by Acronis TRU. Unlike traditional corporate MDR, this one is specifically designed for MSP partners, with multitenant visibility dashboards, centralized ticket management, and configurable communication. "It allows MSPs to make a qualitative leap: they go from selling security products to offering complete managed security solutions," Villar Ruiz explained. This is especially relevant in a context where automation and AI are redefining business processes, as analyzed in our article on Business Process Automation with n8n and AI.

Impact on SMEs and the channel

García Sancho emphasized the accessibility of these solutions: "The owner of an SME with five employees can have a fully personalized SOC service through their MSP for less than the cost of a movie ticket per month." Additionally, the platform allows partners to manage hundreds of companies with artificial intelligence, automating backups, cybersecurity, and AI protection. "One of the main things we are achieving with Acronis is addressing the talent shortage in the industry," he added. Optimization and scaling are key for MSPs to continue growing without needing to proportionally increase their workforce. This approach is reminiscent of how other companies are optimizing costs with AI, as mentioned in the case of DeepSeek and Anthropic.

In summary, Acronis is not only growing above the market but is redefining the MSP business model in Spain, integrating AI, infrastructure as a service, and MDR into a unified platform. For IT professionals, this represents an opportunity to offer high-value services without requiring large investments in talent or own infrastructure. Cybersecurity, data protection, and operational efficiency become the pillars of a new era for the channel.

Original source: ComputerWorld. Analysis and adaptation by ForgeNEX.