Acronis has closed the first half of 2026 with results that, according to its General Manager for Iberia, Eduardo García Sancho, not only exceed expectations but also set a pace well above the industry average. In a recent presentation in Madrid, the company revealed figures reflecting a 22% year-on-year growth in recurring cloud billing, 9% more customers, a 28% increase in billable workloads, and an 8.4% rise in active partners. But the most striking is that, according to García Sancho, "Acronis grows four times faster than the average MSP market in Spain."

Sustained growth in the MSP ecosystem

The managed services provider (MSP) market in Spain grows at a rate of between 5% and 6% annually, according to various consultancies. However, Acronis has managed to quadruple that rate, positioning itself as the technology provider with the greatest presence in this channel. "Today we are, by far, the technology provider with the most MSP partners in the market and the most evolved platform for MSPs in Spain," said García Sancho. This success is largely due to the company developing its technology specifically for this business model.

The 11% increase in the number of MSP organizations working with Acronis reinforces this trend. For the executive, "the best way to reach the bulk of Spanish companies — that 97%-99% that are SMBs — is through MSPs." This approach allows Acronis to democratize access to cybersecurity and backup solutions that would otherwise be reserved for large corporations.

In a context where cybercrime has become industrialized and artificial intelligence generates new threats, protecting SMBs has become a critical challenge. As we analyzed in our article on cybersecurity lessons in extreme environments, preparation and the right technology are essential to mitigate risks.

Protection against AI and return to hybrid infrastructures

One of the major challenges Acronis identifies is how to protect SMBs from the risks derived from the use of artificial intelligence. "For large enterprises, solutions already existed, but for small and medium-sized enterprises, through the MSP channel, there was nothing until now," noted García Sancho. Therefore, the company has launched Acronis GenAI Protection, a solution that allows SMBs to use AI safely, with governance controls and data protection.

"Solutions like Acronis GenAI Protection enable the use of agent AI in small and medium-sized enterprise environments safely, ensuring controlled, governed use aligned with business needs," explained the executive.

In parallel, the market is experiencing a partial return to local or hybrid infrastructures, driven by the need for data sovereignty, increased public cloud costs, and availability issues. To address this trend, Acronis has introduced Acronis Cyber Frame, a platform that allows deploying infrastructure as a service both on hyperscalers and in virtualized environments, whether in Acronis's own data centers or the client's.

Cyber Frame: infrastructure as a service with integrated backup and security

Víctor Villar Ruiz, Product Manager at Acronis, detailed that Cyber Frame is not just an infrastructure solution but includes configured backup, EDR, remote management, and optionally, disaster recovery. "This greatly simplifies MSP operations when deploying infrastructure for their clients," he said. The key differentiator from other providers is that Acronis offers a complete ecosystem: not only infrastructure but also backup, cybersecurity, remote management, and ticketing, all in a single platform.

Digital sovereignty is another fundamental pillar. "It means our data stays with us and is not available to anyone who wants to access it," emphasized Villar Ruiz. Cyber Frame allows keeping all infrastructure and hyperscalable environments locally, in the client's or partner's own data centers, ensuring data control.

This integrated approach is reminiscent of the unified platform strategy we are seeing in other areas, such as Salesforce's new monetization model with Agentforce, where service convergence aims to optimize operational efficiency.

GenAI Protection: combating shadow AI in SMBs

The uncontrolled use of artificial intelligence tools by employees, known as shadow AI, is a growing concern. Workers use platforms like ChatGPT or Claude with personal accounts, sometimes sharing sensitive information. Acronis GenAI Protection addresses this issue with three key capabilities:

• Discovery and monitoring: identifies which AI tools are used, who uses them, and what information they share.
• Data Loss Prevention (DLP): detects and blocks the sending of confidential information to AI models before it leaves the endpoint.
• Threat protection: defends against attacks such as prompt injection or AI-based social engineering.

This solution is especially relevant for SMBs, which often lack the resources to implement complex security policies. As we noted in our analysis on the challenges of AI in business environments, guardrails and cost control are critical aspects that companies must manage.

Acronis MCR: an MDR specifically designed for the channel

The latest novelty presented is Acronis MCR, a managed detection and response (MDR) service backed by Acronis TRU, operating 24/7/365. What sets it apart from other MDRs is that it is conceived from the start for partners, not for large corporations. "It is not a traditional corporate MDR like those offered by many large providers targeting Fortune 500 companies," explained Villar Ruiz.

The service includes consolidated visibility dashboards for all clients, multitenant management, and operational flexibility. The partner can define how communication occurs: whether always through themselves or allowing direct interaction with the end customer. "It is designed to adapt to the real operations of partners," he added.

For many MSPs, this service represents a qualitative leap. "It is not so much that they automatically become MSSPs, but they are enabled to offer services typical of an MSSP," highlighted Villar Ruiz. That is, they move from selling security products to offering complete managed security solutions, maximizing the use of tools and generating new recurring revenue.

Implications for SMBs and the channel

Eduardo García Sancho was emphatic in explaining how these solutions translate into tangible benefits for companies: "The owner of a five-employee SMB can have a fully personalized SOC service through their MSP for less than the cost of a movie ticket per month." This democratization of cybersecurity allows SMBs to access capabilities that were previously only available to large corporations.

For partners, the value proposition is equally attractive. "For very small amounts of money, you will have a platform that allows you to manage hundreds of companies with artificial intelligence, deploying backups, cybersecurity, AI protection, and infrastructure in an instant," he added. Additionally, the platform helps alleviate the lack of talent in the industry, allowing business scaling without proportionally increasing headcount.

In a market where operational efficiency is key, integrating all these capabilities into a single platform reduces complexity and costs. As we saw in the case of CRM solutions for workshops, unifying tools in a single ecosystem improves productivity and customer satisfaction.

Conclusion: a complete ecosystem for the modern MSP

Acronis is redefining its value proposition, moving from being a backup and cybersecurity provider to offering an integrated platform that includes infrastructure as a service, AI protection, and an MDR designed for the channel. With growth four times higher than the average MSP market in Spain, the company demonstrates that its partner-centric strategy and operational simplification are yielding results.

For IT professionals and SMB owners, these innovations represent an opportunity to improve their security posture without skyrocketing costs. The key is to choose the right technology partner and leverage the advantages of a unified platform that, like Acronis, understands the specific needs of the Spanish market.

Original source: ComputerWorld. Analysis and adaptation by ForgeNEX.