Ingram Micro on why Australian MSPs are betting on hyperautomation

Australia's managed service providers are turning to hyperautomation to offset skills shortages, manage sprawling device estates and unlock new revenue from compliance and security services.

Those pressures were front and centre at a recent B2B Tech Talk Live session during the Ingram Micro Experience in Sydney, where industry leaders examined how automation is moving from experimentation to operational necessity for Australian MSPs.

In the discussion, Danny Maher, CEO of FirstWave, and Phil Duke, Senior General Manager at Ingram Micro, outlined how hyperautomation - combining AI, machine learning and robotic process automation (RPA) - is being used to automate network management and IT compliance, enabling partners to scale services, improve margins and commercialise compliance insights in the Australian market.

From buzzword to operational reality

Maher opened by reframing hyperautomation as a practical evolution rather than a new concept.

"Hyperautomation is a broad term, but it really describes the next generation of automation," he said. "It brings together RPA, machine learning and AI to automate tasks and workflows that humans would otherwise have to perform."

In network management and IT compliance, he argued, the issue is no longer a lack of data. Modern tools already collect vast amounts of information. The problem is converting that information into timely decisions.

"These systems generate enormous volumes of data," Maher said. "Humans simply can't analyse it all fast enough, especially across multiple customers and environments. Automation allows the system to do that analysis and act on it."

Managing scale across diverse environments

FirstWave operates across network management, IT compliance and email security, with MSPs acting as both customers and partners. Those MSPs bundle FirstWave software with their own services and resell the combined offering to end customers.

Maher pointed to Telmex as an example of what automation enables at scale. The partner runs FirstWave software across more than 200 servers, managing over 200,000 devices.

"At that scale, the amount of data across different customers and technologies is enormous," he said. "Automation allows the system to learn what 'normal' looks like in each environment and flag exceptions. That gives MSPs the ability to act early and, in many cases, to upsell additional services."

Packaging automation into revenue

Duke said that translation - from operational insight to commercial service - is what partners are looking for.

"What we're seeing with FirstWave is how partners use the software to build new solutions and outcomes for customers," he said. "That directly drives new revenue streams."

Maher added that FirstWave is onboarding new customers at a rapid pace - roughly one every 40 minutes - highlighting strong market demand.

From Duke's perspective, the appeal for MSPs goes beyond growth. It also addresses a structural challenge.

"There's a major skills shortage, particularly in Australia," he said. "Automation allows organisations to do more with fewer people. It changes the economics of service delivery."

Freemium users and channel opportunity

Maher described FirstWave's freemium IT audit product as a key part of its partner strategy. Around 150,000 organisations use the free tool globally.

"Our challenge is converting those users into paid customers," he said. "Partners play a critical role in that transition."

He acknowledged that partners often share customers with FirstWave, but said that overlap creates incentive to collaborate.

"When you audit or manage a network, you know everything about it," Maher said. "End-of-life assets, licensing gaps, compliance issues. That insight supports recurring revenue and gives customers a clear roadmap for where to invest."

Compliance as a growth engine

Duke said compliance and security have become the most consistent entry points for new customer conversations.

"Every customer is concerned about compliance and security," he said. "Once you have visibility into their environment, it opens up multiple go-to-market opportunities."

He also highlighted the role of vendor-backed programs in helping partners build services, including AWS initiatives supported by Ingram Micro.

"When you combine compliance visibility, scalability and vendor funding, partners can add their own expertise on top," Duke said. "That accelerates time to market and expands the services they can deliver."

How MSPs get started with hyperautomation

Maher outlined a practical adoption path for MSPs.

The first step is understanding what tools customers already use. Many already have some form of network management, and a significant number use FirstWave's Open-AudIT product.

"Only about two-thirds of organisations are using any IT compliance software at all," he said. "And very few have automated their audits."

The next step is automating repetitive, decision-based tasks.

"If a device overloads at the same time every day and needs resetting, that doesn't require a human," Maher said. "That's a simple automation."

The final stage is machine learning-driven automation, where systems begin identifying patterns and determining what should be automated without manual rules.

Margin, coverage and customer retention

For MSP owners, Duke said the business case often comes down to margin and cost control.

"Resources are expensive," he said. "If you can deliver more services without increasing headcount, you improve gross profit and deepen customer relationships."

Automation also expands service coverage.

"These systems don't take holidays and they operate 24/7," Duke said. "That's critical when skilled staff are hard to find."

Asset visibility drives security and spend

Maher returned to asset data as the foundation for compliance and security services.

"These platforms track every asset - hardware, software, firmware and configuration," he said. "When audits identify end-of-life products or vulnerabilities, customers know they need to act."

For partners, that insight supports credible, data-driven recommendations.

"If customers don't have that information, they don't know what to buy," Maher said. "If partners have it, they can guide those decisions."

Distribution, scale and alignment

Duke positioned Ingram Micro as the connector between MSPs, vendors and specialist services, including cybersecurity capabilities such as penetration testing.

"We help partners build go-to-market solutions and connect them with vendors like FirstWave," he said.

Maher closed by linking scale and commercial alignment back to MSP reality.

"MSPs don't know what environment they'll inherit with the next customer," he said. "They need tools that can audit and manage any device at any scale."

He added that FirstWave's usage-based pricing mirrors MSP billing models.

"They pay as they get paid," Maher said. "That alignment gives sales teams confidence that whatever they sell, the technology will support it."