With WatchGuard’s Managed Detection & Response (MDR), Eiffie makes proactive cybersecurity accessible to SMEs
Challenges
Julien Perret created Eiffie in 2013 with a simple yet ambitious goal: to provide VSEs, SMEs, and professionals with responsive, personalized IT support. He quickly chose to surround himself with trusted partners to develop his service, prioritizing system and data security. “We’re in a digital war,” he says. “Our enemies are well-equipped, strong, and violent.”
Over the years, customer expectations have evolved. Threats have intensified, attacks have become more sophisticated, and the consequences of intrusions have grown more severe. Traditionally, SMEs have been less equipped to defend themselves and have become easy targets. Therefore, the demand for reliable security solutions that are adapted to their constraints has exploded. It is against this backdrop that Eiffie has gradually incorporated WatchGuard’s solutions. “He was already a trusted partner at the time,” explains Julien, who has known the publisher for over 20 years thanks to his experience with IT consulting, SMEs, and key accounts. “They have always offered technologies which are reliable, but above all adapted to the needs of SMEs.”
Eiffie currently manages around 1,400 workstations and servers for about sixty customers. The ability to provide robust security perfectly exemplifies the challenge faced by small enterprises like Eiffie: ensuring continuous protection without increasing operational load. “You can’t monitor everything manually, especially with such a large fleet,” he stresses. WatchGuard’s launch of its Managed Detection & Response (MDR) turnkey solution in early 2025 is a unique opportunity to develop cybersecurity.
Solutions
With the launch of MDR in early 2025, WatchGuard has opened a new path for service providers like Eiffie and business customers of all sizes. Unlike more complex security solutions, which are often designed for key accounts with dedicated internal teams, WatchGuard’s MDR is designed to be accessible without compromising on technical expertise. “We need technologies that are simple to deploy and maintain. We can’t afford cumbersome, complex solutions,” says Julien. But these solutions also need to meet the concrete needs of customers.
This is precisely what WatchGuard’s MDR allows. Centralizing security data in a single data lake provides big data style visibility into network behaviors while triggering automatic responses to threats without requiring immediate human intervention. This approach reduces response times, mitigates risk, and provides clear reporting and relevant indicators for end customers. For Eiffie, this automation is crucial because it frees up time to focus on strategically supporting its customers. “This saves us from having to juggle multiple consoles, which would be impossible with a small team,” says the founder of Eiffie.
This simplicity is reinforced by Eiffie’s close relationship with the WatchGuard team. Julien praises the pre-sales and technical teams for their responsiveness and for taking the time to understand their customers’ specific needs. “We have a real human relationship with them,” he says. “I can call them directly to discuss a problem or ask for advice. This proximity is invaluable.”
Finally, the MDR offering meets a major expectation of Eiffie’s customers: coherent, financially accessible solutions. “I’m familiar with SOC offerings, which are geared toward large accounts but often unsuited to the economic reality of SMEs. WatchGuard came up with a consistent solution and optimized costs, which fit perfectly with what my customers expect,” says the founder.
With the recent launch of the new MDR portal and an ambitious roadmap for the coming months, Julien sees even more potential to bolster this collaboration. “WatchGuard is attentive to customers and ready to evolve its solutions according to our feedback,” he adds.
Results
Eiffie has seen a marked improvement in its customer security since adopting advanced security solutions such as EPDR and Patch Management, complemented by WatchGuard’s MDR. MDR currently protects approximately 300 workstations, providing continuous monitoring and proactive threat responses. This approach has significantly reduced the number of incidents by limiting flaws related to missing patches and automatically blocking malicious behavior. “Thanks to the update policy, automation, and our control over installations, we’ve reduced incidents by around three-quarters,” says Julien.
However, day-to-day management has also changed. Thanks to MDR, some critical actions are carried out automatically. For example, when a workstation is compromised, it is immediately isolated from the network. The team receives an email alert and a phone call in the event of a major threat. This responsiveness means attacks can be contained quickly without mobilizing the entire team. Very detailed and comprehensive weekly and monthly reports complement this management by giving a clear picture of the fleet’s security status.
For Eiffie customers, these improvements result in increased stability and better protection of their systems. The internal team consequently has fewer emergencies to manage, more time to support projects, and a stronger positioning on the board.
In terms of the commercial aspect, Eiffie presents MDR as an overlay to its existing services – an active extension available 24/7, 365 days a year, with a human presence when needed. “It’s the only way to be proactive in terms of cybersecurity and preventing attacks. It should be seen as protection, not as an expense,” concludes Julien.
With the recent launch of the new MDR portal and an ambitious roadmap for the coming months, including the integration of Microsoft Defender, for instance, Eiffie anticipates increased efficiency and transparency. This will strengthen its position in a changing market.”