Is there anyone familiar with Cato Networks’ SASE or SSE who can provide insights on their service? I often hear Palo Alto is the industry standard, but it seems a bit expensive. Any feedback would be appreciated!
Cato SASE is the best there is.
Our new CIO seems to have a hard-on for CATO from his last job. I really don’t see the benefit for our SMB of ~500 users. We have a ton of antiquated software that would have to be loaded on to all endpoints based on the users job role where this is all currently controlled via pools in Azure Virtual Desktops. CATO seems like it’s meant for a waaaay larger company with multiple large sites, we have an HQ, a smaller satellite office 20 min away from HQ and then a good chunk of always remote users. I mean currently only like 5 people have a VPN that works back to the office and thats higher level IT staff for special situations. CIO seems to think CATO with all the shitty software loaded on everyone’s laptop is going to be a better experience than running it all inside Azure Virtual Desktops. I just don’t think the squeeze is worth the juice.
personally i think Cato blows… we ae constantly having to fix our clients 
Cato was the first SASE platform. I attended a few really good webinars they hosted a couple years ago, but have no direct experience with their products.
I used them at a previous job and thought the solution was really solid. We primarily went with them for the SD-WAN capability but over time started to migrate the sites to use the cloud firewall with the intention to move to it for remote access and edge security at the endpoint as well but I don’t know if that part of the project went forward or not after I left.
Fwiw I think they actually sell to smaller footprints than you might imagine. One of the smaller user floors I’ve come across.
Something specific with the platform? Or issues with how it was deployed/configured?
Can you provide some details and insight as to why Netskope?
any good on SD-WAN? i browsed through their docks and it looks like basic PBR…
I work as a technology advisor and have worked with Cato on some projects. I highly recommend them and could give you some case studies if you want?
Thankfully stronger heads prevailed and we told them to kick rocks. I have to say Cato’s onslaught of people who join calls and ramble the **** fuck on about the company and all its accomplished during calls is so cringy… Then I ask them for simple things like “what mainstream security products would Cato replace if we switch” ex. EDR/DNS Filtering/Etc – those cheese balls couldn’t even get me that in 2 weeks before we told them we were no longer interested. Felt like I was being sold a used car. Cato feels like its built for the org behind the times that has no way or know how to get to the next stage of hybrid/global work, just my .02. It would have been a downgrade and a whole lot of work.
Worked well for us. Supported selective packet duplication and the like.
Could you share those case studies?
I’m currently researching and I’m interested in CATO.
There were some layoffs last Friday that impacted at least one person who did that to me earlier that same week. That 250 slide deck is an immediate deal killer.
FWIW, as you seem to have not gotten a clear answer before:
Replaces MPLS and other private WAN solutions
Replaces SDWAN solutions
Replaces traditional edge NGFWs
Replaces SWGs, DNS filtering
Replaces ATP solutions, e.g. IPS and gateway antimalarial
Replaces Cloud App Sec, e.g. CASB/DLP, SaaS API Security (OOB SaaS security)
Replaces RBI
Replaces Endpoint Protection
Replaces Remote Access solutions (VPN, ZTNA)
Everyone’s needs are somewhat unique so this list is more of a current representation of the potential of what products/solutions Cato can replace.
i’m digging through docs and can’t find anything relating to SD-WAN… do they have a separate guide for it?
Yeah we told them to kick rocks, overpriced and their sales team was an absolute joke. They spent more time blabbering about the CATO CEO and his accomplishments than answering questions or showing capabilities. I asked them for some general products that CATO would replace and they couldn’t even effectively answer that. I don’t doubt its a decent platform, but don’t come at me with like 5 or 6 sales guys on a call and gargle your Kool-Aid for 90% of the meeting.
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Sorry you didn’t have a great pre sales experience. Sucks when an experiecne like that gets in the way of you being able to really see the tech. Might not have been right for you anyway…but what if it was exactly what you needed? Ugggh.