Cato's SASE has been named a Challenger within the Gartner Magic Quadrant and named a leader by Forrester. Cloud integrates SD-WAN features with SASE components. The Cato capability offers SD-WAN and SASE solutions via Cato Sockets and Cato Cloud. Cato Sockets (SD-WAN devices) integrate datacenter into Cato Cloud, which is a cloud-native platform designed to merge network security with global connectivity. Cato are typically associated with mid-market, global companies that require co-managed SD-WAN and SASE. Cato has shown a commitment to evolving their services across advanced security and AI-driven network management enhancements.
Cato Networks SD WAN and SASE Solution: Comparisons, Review, Benefits, Use Cases, Pros & Cons
The initial step of setting up a Cato branch office network involved creating a new home site which involved selection of the site type as a branch office and the connection type (Cato Socket appliance), bandwidth and the local branch office range.
Following the site creation, the VPN user setup required entry of user details and a prompt email for VPN activation to ensure secure cloud remote access to the network. The final part of initial SD-WAN setup process involved installing the VPN client on my Mac. The download and installation process was simple (as expected), and connecting to the Cato cloud was a matter of a few clicks. The initial setup process is based around Zero-touch and fits well with organisations with limited technical expertise. Connecting the appliance to our Broadband Internet connection and integrating the Cato Socket into the Netify test network was straightforward.
Configuration of SASE & SSE security elements in Cato Networks began with enabling their next-generation WAN firewall. Navigating to the security services section and activating this feature was a simple process because Cato offers simple to deploy standard policies which fit the needs of most use case scenarios. Enabling the internet firewall enabled instant protection against external threats with cloud based threat updates.
We moved on to activate the next-generation anti-malware protection which is designed to safeguard the network against zero-day threats with cloud updates. After setup of anti-malware, we easily implemented Cato's Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) to add an additional layer of security. The integration of IPS into the overall security framework highlights the system's comprehensive approach to network security. Adding Cato Data Loss Prevention was also straight forward by implementing their standardised policies.
From an efficiency standpoint, the entire setup, including site creation, VPN configuration, and activation of security services, was completed in minutes. This ease of use offers a significant advantage for businesses looking to rapidly deploy networks with standardised policies.
The simplicity of the user interface and the overall process is one of Cato's major value points - making complex configurations accessible even to those with limited technical expertise. This user-centric design is a testament to Cato Networks' understanding of the challenges faced by businesses in managing network infrastructures across SD-WAN, SASE and SSE.
In 2017, Cato Networks' SD-WAN was recognised for their cloud-native architecture and the potential of their upcoming SASE features. At this point, users were buying Cato Networks' SD-WAN for their fully automated configuration.
By 2018, Cato Networks was offering managed SD-WAN connections with NGFW (Next-Generation Firewall), URL Filtering, and faster peering to AWS/MS/Google.
In 2021, Cato released SSL inspection in the cloud, with continuous addition of new features each quarter.
What are the pros and cons of Cato Networks SD WAN & SASE Cybersecurity?
List of the pros and cons associated with Meraki SD WAN and SASE security.
Cato SD-WAN Pros and Cons
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | hyelland | 21/10/2024 04:07 PM | hyelland | 21/10/2024 04:07 PM | ✓ Simple Configuration: Easy to set up and configure. | ❌ Premium Solution: Positioned as a premium solution with higher costs. |
| 2 | hyelland | 21/10/2024 04:07 PM | hyelland | 21/10/2024 04:07 PM | ✓ Efficient QoS Configuration: Quality of Service (QoS) is efficiently managed. | ❌ Cannot Support Complex Needs: Limited in supporting complex networking requirements. |
| 3 | hyelland | 21/10/2024 04:07 PM | hyelland | 21/10/2024 04:07 PM | ✓ Private Backbone: Utilises a private backbone for enhanced performance. | ❌ Feature Limitations: Certain features have limitations, restricting advanced configurations. |
| 4 | hyelland | 21/10/2024 04:07 PM | hyelland | 21/10/2024 04:07 PM | ✓ Simple Deployment: Offers a straightforward and fast deployment process. | |
| 5 | hyelland | 21/10/2024 04:07 PM | hyelland | 21/10/2024 04:07 PM | ✓ Agility: Provides agility to adapt to network changes quickly. | |
| Pros | Cons |
Cato SASE Pros & Cons
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | hyelland | 23/10/2024 11:11 AM | hyelland | 23/10/2024 11:11 AM | ✓ Simplified Deployment: Easy and quick to deploy. | ❌ Lacks Granular Control: Does not offer detailed configuration options for advanced users. |
| 2 | hyelland | 23/10/2024 11:11 AM | hyelland | 23/10/2024 11:11 AM | ✓ Simplified Management: Easy to set up and manage. | ❌ Limited Third-Party Integrations: Integration options with third-party tools are limited. |
| 3 | hyelland | 23/10/2024 11:11 AM | hyelland | 23/10/2024 11:11 AM | ✓ Optimised Routing: Provides optimised routing for better network performance. | |
| Pros | Cons |
Cato ZTNA Pros & Cons
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | hyelland | 22/10/2024 02:48 PM | hyelland | 22/10/2024 02:48 PM | ✓ Cato Networks’ solution incorporates Zero Trust, Secure SD-WAN and Firewall as a Service into their SASE offering, which exceeds customer expectations in most cases. | ❌ Cato Networks doesn’t offer an on-premise solution and has no integration with third-party monitoring platforms. |
| 2 | hyelland | 22/10/2024 02:48 PM | hyelland | 22/10/2024 02:48 PM | ✓ The vendor’s global private backbone allows for easy deployment and secure, optimised performance on a cloud-native solution. | ❌ Customer and technical support offerings could use improvement according to some customer feedback, and their SSO integration is still in a partially complete state. |
| 3 | hyelland | 22/10/2024 02:48 PM | hyelland | 22/10/2024 02:48 PM | ✓ Cato focuses on combining SASE and ZTNA together as a superior solution while offering managed services for those who don’t have the internal resources to dedicate to managing SD-WAN and ZTNA policies. | ❌ Their default SLA is sub-par for the industry, and professional services contracts are required to ensure higher SLAs. |
| Pros | Cons |
Cato Managed CyberSecurity
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | hyelland | 01/11/2024 04:32 PM | hyelland | 01/11/2024 04:32 PM | Good range of SD WAN offerings | Lacks a fully managed option, which requires clients to be more active in checking logs and acting on outages |
| 2 | hyelland | 01/11/2024 04:32 PM | hyelland | 01/11/2024 04:32 PM | Exclusive hardware (Cato Socket) allowing clients to connect into their backbone network from anywhere | No native support for cloud vendors such as AWS, Azure or Google |
| 3 | hyelland | 01/11/2024 04:32 PM | hyelland | 01/11/2024 04:32 PM | DIY and co-managed offerings | |
| 4 | hyelland | 01/11/2024 04:32 PM | hyelland | 01/11/2024 04:32 PM | Excellent SASE services | |
| Pros | Cons |
Cato Managed CyberSecurity Pros & Cons
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | hyelland | 01/11/2024 03:09 PM | hyelland | 01/11/2024 03:09 PM | Complete SASE solution | Fully cloud-based (no on-premise option) |
| 2 | hyelland | 01/11/2024 03:09 PM | hyelland | 01/11/2024 03:09 PM | Simple deployment | Built-in reporting and analytics are excellent, but analytics integrations with third-parties isn’t as good as competitors |
| 3 | hyelland | 01/11/2024 03:09 PM | hyelland | 01/11/2024 03:09 PM | Transparent interface with tooling for self-management | Relatively new to the market (less than ten years in business) |
| Pros | Cons |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cato Networks SD-WAN architecture?
Cato supports underlay services that can be a mix of fiber, cable, xDSL and 4G/LTE.
Cato do not manage an SD WAN underlay, however they do support a global private backbone. Cato’s private backbone is accessible via over 60 PoPs worldwide, reinforced by an enterprise grade security stack to provide an accessible worldwide connection, even for remote workers.