The concept of Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) promised a revolution in network security. Its core intent: to simplify the deployment and consumption of both... Read ›
Unleashing SASE for All: Empowering the Channel Ecosystem Business The concept of Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) promised a revolution in network security. Its core intent: to simplify the deployment and consumption of both networking and security functions. However, does the reality really live up to the initial hype?
The Intent Behind SASE
SASE is meant to streamline the delivery of network security functions, boosting efficiency and reducing complexity for organizations. Traditional approaches often involve a fragmented array of point products, each addressing a specific aspect of security or networking. This fragmentation not only complicates the management but also undermines the overall efficiency and security posture of organizations. SASE seeks to address these issues by converging various functions—such as SD-WAN, secure web gateways, cloud access security brokers (CASB), and zero-trust network access (ZTNA)—into a single, cohesive platform. The goal is to provide a more integrated, simpler, and scalable solution that meets the dynamic needs of today's businesses.
The Search for True SASE
Many vendors, in the race to capitalize on the SASE gold rush, have simply stitched together existing point products. This creates a situation where complexity lurks beneath the surface of a supposedly unified solution. Acquisitions haven't helped either, as vendors wrestle with integrating multiple management systems, further adding to the confusion.
What's missing is a true SASE platform, one designed from the ground up for the convergence of networking and security. This platform needs to be cloud-native to handle the ever-increasing demands of bandwidth and innovation. Cloud-native services are able to leverage automatic updates and security patches, ensuring enterprise networks are always up-to-date. This eliminates the need for manual, often procrastinated, updates on physical appliances, saving time and minimizing security risks. Legacy vendors simply can't compete with this vision.
Trying to find SASE & Deliver It
Even if a "true" SASE platform emerges, the question of delivery remains. Large enterprises with vast resources might enjoy the luxury of direct vendor SASE services. However, the vast majority – including a significant portion of large enterprises themselves – rely on channel partners to access and implement these solutions. These partners, be they Service Providers (SPs), Global System Integrators (GSIs), Managed Service Providers (MSPs), or Value-Added Resellers (VARs), have faced their own challenges in delivering SASE efficiently and profitably to their diverse customer base. The challenges still come down to complexity in stitching together multiple point products, visibility into delivery of performance (and the opportunities of upsell), the ability to deliver value-added services, and, frankly, the “how” of everything SASE.
[boxlink link="https://catonetworks.easywebinar.live/registration-transform-your-sase-services-with-cato-msase"] Transform Your SASE Services with the Cato MSASE Partner Platform | Watch the Webinar [/boxlink]
Cato SASE: A Platform Built for True SASE
Cato SASE Cloud Platform breaks free from the constraints of legacy solutions. Cato Networks has emerged as a game-changer in the SASE landscape by delivering a true SASE platform. Unlike fragmented or acquired solutions, Cato's platform is designed from the ground up to integrate networking and security into a single, cloud-native service. This holistic approach ensures that businesses can easily adopt and benefit from SASE without the operational headaches associated with traditional or pseudo-SASE solutions.
Cato's platform is built to scale, providing the performance and reliability needed to meet the demands of modern enterprises. It offers a unified, cloud-native platform designed specifically for the SASE model. This platform integrates critical networking and security functions –SWG, CASB, ZTNA, FWaaS, and more – into a single, cohesive offering.
With Cato SASE Cloud Platform, organizations gain:
Simplified Deployment and Management: Cato SASE converges networking and full-stack security into a single platform, freeing up valuable IT resources.
Unparalleled Scalability: The cloud-native architecture scales effortlessly to meet the bandwidth and security demands of any organization, regardless of size or location.
Global Reach: Cato's global private backbone ensures consistent, high-performance security and access, no matter where users and applications reside.
Cato MSASE: Empowering the Channel Ecosystem for SASE Delivery
Cato understands the critical role channel partners play in bringing SASE to the masses. That's why we created the Cato MSASE Partner Platform. MSASE provides partners with a complete SASE toolkit specifically designed for their unique business models.
Here's how Cato MSASE Partner Platform empowers the channel:
Channel partners can now differentiate their solution in the SASE market with Cato MSASE Partner Platform. This platform leverages Cato's converged, cloud-native, and global SASE platform, simplifying deployment and management. By consolidating networking and security into a single, multi-tenant platform, Cato MSASE empowers partners to streamline operations. Partners can further amplify their differentiation by adding their own unique services and leveraging co-branding capabilities.
Channel partners can accelerate their SASE go-to-market strategy with Cato's comprehensive launch toolkit. By leveraging Cato's decade of experience, partners gain access to pre-built resources including training programs, service description templates, and marketing materials. This allows them to launch their SASE offering quickly and confidently.
Channel partners can close more deals, faster, with Cato's proven tools. Leverage Test Drive templates and a 70%+ conversion Proof of Concept methodology to ignite customer interest. Partners can operate more independently with assets like quoting tools, free trial accounts, and comprehensive knowledge base.
Partners can unlock profitability with Cato's capex-free SASE Cloud service. This eliminates upfront hardware and licensing costs, making SASE highly competitive against traditional solutions. Optional NOC and SOC services allow partners to execute now and invest later, while still offering customers security operations powered by AI and Cato's expert playbooks. Additional insights offer partners visibility into upsell opportunities.
With Cato MSASE, any channel partner, regardless of size or expertise, can become a SASE powerhouse.
The Equalizer: SASE for All
By delivering a true SASE platform through a robust channel ecosystem, Cato empowers organizations of all sizes to benefit from the security and agility of SASE. Large enterprises, small businesses, and everything in between now have access to a comprehensive SASE solution that is easy to deploy, manage, and scale. This levels the security playing field, allowing organizations of all sizes to focus on their core business while leaving their security worries behind.
Cato MSASE, delivered through the power of the channel ecosystem, is the key to unlocking equal opportunity in the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity.
Cato XDR breaks the mold: Now, one platform tackles both security threats and network issues for true SASE convergence. SASE, or Secure Access Service Edge,... Read ›
When SASE-based XDR Expands into Network Operations: Revolutionizing Network Monitoring Cato XDR breaks the mold: Now, one platform tackles both security threats and network issues for true SASE convergence.
SASE, or Secure Access Service Edge, represents the core evolution of today’s enterprise networks converging network and security functions into a single, unified, cloud-native architecture. Today's global work-from-anywhere model amplifies this need for IT to have centralized management of both network connectivity and comprehensive security. While simply said, comprehensive security entails the complexity of an amalgam of many different security tools. Complementing the SASE revolution is XDR (Extended Detection and Response), a powerful tool that analyzes data from various security solutions to provide a unified view of potential threats across the enterprise. SASE and XDR are powerful tools on their own, but even greater security benefits can be achieved by enabling them to work together more seamlessly. How do we make this happen?
Unlocking Security Potential: SASE + XDR
Tighter alignment between SASE and XDR unlocks the full potential of both, for a more robust security posture. While XDR tools excel in analyzing data from various security solutions, they could do much more with the right quality of data. This is where Cato recently announced our SASE-based XDR, which includes the industry’s broadest range of native security sensors. Traditionally, the XDR tool needs to “normalize” the diverse set of security data it ingests before it can be analyzed, and threat levels can be established. This “normalization” dilutes the quality of the data and adds a layer of complexity. When data is diluted or of low quality, it becomes more challenging to distinguish legitimate threats from false positives. By eliminating the necessity normalize data from disparate security solutions, and instead utilizing a broad range of pure, native data before determining threat levels, Cato’s XDR delivers a higher level of security with faster response times, all within the single management application of the Cato SASE Cloud Platform.
What SASE Needs From XDR
Cato XDR represents a significant advancement in security incidents detection and response, emphasizing quality and efficiency. However, SASE is a combination of network and security. The intent of SASE is to empower the cohesiveness of network and security in order for enterprises to truly move at the speed of business. This means that a logical expectation for the XDR capabilities of a SASE platform is to also help IT detect issues on the network unrelated to security. Integrating robust network health monitoring capabilities into the central SASE architecture is vital. And guess what? This is precisely the direction we're headed!
[boxlink link="https://www.catonetworks.com/resources/the-industrys-first-sase-based-xdr-has-arrived/"] The Industry’s First SASE-based XDR Has Arrived | Download Whitepaper[/boxlink]
Cato XDR: Security Stories Plus Network Stories
Introducing Network Stories for XDR, by Cato Networks. Network stories for XDR focuses on detection and remediation of connectivity and performance issues. It uses the exact same XDR practices previously developed to detect cyber threats and attacks. Together, it offers a singular SASE-based XDR solution for SOC and NOC teams to collaborate on.
With Cato XDR, network stories and security stories seamlessly integrate within the same overarching SASE platform. For IT teams, this consolidation means managing the entire network and security infrastructure from a single, unified platform. From configuration and policy management, to ongoing monitoring, and now - also to detection and remediation, network and security teams can collaborate efficiently using a single pane of glass. This unified, converged approach helps resolve both security and network issues faster, more cohesively, and more efficiently than ever before. Amazingly, in true platform architecture agility, Cato XDR is delivered with a flick of a switch, not by buying-deploying-integrating an entirely new product that adds complexity to the network and security stack.
Cato XDR unlocks the power of true SASE convergence, enabling security and network teams to collaborate seamlessly on a single platform.
The Role of AI in Network Stories for XDR
Cato XDR takes network incident detection to the next level with AI-powered Network Stories. These AI algorithms, in true SASE fashion, go beyond security, collecting network signals to pinpoint root causes to issues like blackouts, brownouts, BGP session disconnects, LAN host downs, and general HA (high-availability) impacts. Similar to security stories, AI/ML is utilized for incident prioritization based on calculated criticality, empowering IT teams to focus on incidents that have the biggest impact on business performance. This technology is true “battle-tested” and proven effective through servicing Cato’s own NOC. Remediation time is further reduced with playbooks that contain guided steps for fast resolution.
Pushing SASE Limits for NOC/SOC Convergence
Cato provides the world’s leading single-vendor SASE platform as a secure foundation specifically built for the digital business. The Cato SASE Cloud Platform converges networking with a wide range of security capabilities into a global cloud-native service with a future-proof platform that is self-maintaining, self-evolving and self-healing.
Cato XDR takes SASE convergence a step further with Network Stories. It leverages Cato's proven AI and machine learning expertise, traditionally used for security analysis, and applies it to network health. Network Stories for XDR identify and remediate network issues such as blackouts and high-availability, empowering IT teams to focus on incidents that most significantly impact business performance. This unified approach streamlines collaboration between security and network teams, enhancing efficiency and enabling faster resolution of issues. With Cato XDR, enterprises can realize the full potential of SASE convergence, achieving robust security and network performance on a single, future-proof platform.
