Less Stress, More Savings:  How CESI Group Improved IT Operations and Cut Costs by 30% with Cato Networks 

Baltimore Aircoil Replaces MPLS with Cato, Improving Voice Quality, Enabling Video Conferencing, and Increasing Agility Before components can be utilized in today’s electrical grid, they need to undergo rigorous testing and certification. That’s where CESI Group comes in. Centro Elettrotecnico Sperimentale Italiano – or CESI for short – is a Milan-headquartered global engineering and consulting company specializing in innovation, digitization, and testing for the electric power sector. With an almost 70-year legacy, CESI operates in 70 countries, assisting clients worldwide in navigating energy transition challenges.  In particular, conducting intensive product testing required CESI to manage vast amounts of proprietary measurement and test data. To protect this critical data, CESI needed a modern security infrastructure. This necessity, combined with the demand for a new network, led CESI Shared Services Director Daniele Daminelli, Luca Pantini CESI’s Head of Network, Infrastructure & Cybersecurity, and their IT team to embark on a SASE journey.  Daminelli who has a Ph.D. in corporate finance, understood the financial implications of IT investments. “We reached our ROI within 24 months by using Cato and saw a 30 percent cost reduction compared to our previous setup of legacy appliances and infrastructure, he says.”  Beyond cost savings, the impact on CESI’s IT team was transformative. “Cato significantly enhanced the efficiency of our daily operations, leading to a notable reduction in stress and workload,” says Daminelli. “The shift not only improved network security but also improved the overall work experience for the team, making IT management more seamless and less burdensome.  Legacy Complexity Led to High Costs and Plenty of Stress    Before Cato, CESI had a mix of network services and security solutions connecting sites, the cloud, and remote users. Offices and laboratories in Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, the US, and China were interconnected by SD-WAN and MPLS with VPN tunnels for accessing cloud applications. Firewalls and security appliances secured each location, providing basic firewalling and antivirus protection. The company’s 1,100 remote users were connected with multiple VPN solutions.  The limitations of that approach soon became evident. As CESI migrated its ERP, CRM, and other business applications to the cloud, the network struggled to keep pace. “Performance was slow, and users frequently complained about documents failing to save or applications becoming unresponsive,” says Daminelli.  The diverse infrastructure also made centralized monitoring difficult, preventing the IT team from gaining a unified view of network performance and security threats.  Security operations were also challenging with their mix of firewall appliances. The appliances were reaching end-of-life, so patching them wasn’t viable.   “We needed an IT infrastructure that could perform at maximum capacity, be managed seamlessly, and provide security safeguards for today and tomorrow,” says Daminelli.  After evaluating various solutions, Daminelli and his team chose Cato to address CESI’s evolving security and networking needs. The team replaced the combination of MPLS, SD-WAN appliances, and aging firewall appliances with the Cato SASE Cloud Platform. SASE Brought Easier Times to the CESI Team   With Cato deployed, the network became more reliable. “We mitigated previous issues related to network downtime and maintenance, leading to a more stable and efficient system,” says Pantini.   Previously, patching an SD-WAN device or firewall appliance required a shutdown, causing time and availability inefficiencies. Pantini found that “Cato’s robust scalable infrastructure mitigated previous issues related to network downtime maintenance and led to a more stable efficient system.”  Just as important from a network perspective was the ability to standardize their network offerings. Says Pantini, “The fact that we can easily install Cato at a site and quickly get them plugged in our network will be critical to getting all of our locations.”  Pantini and his team found they could easily replicate and harmonize policies for sites and users, closing potential security gaps. “Our security posture has improved substantially,” he says, “We are providing better protection across locations.”   A Solid Network Leads to Strategic Work  This same focus on simplicity and elegance led to significant operational improvements, as well. “We had a notable reduction in stress and workload,” says Daminelli. Less time was spent troubleshooting issues after hours, allowing for a more predictable and manageable work schedule.    Daminelli also liked that he had a simple, clear way to enrich CESI’s security posture in the future. “We started with Cato’s NGFW, but Cato offered us a structured roadmap for adopting and deploying new security technologies.”    "The deployment of Cato has had a positive impact on our operations. Our team can now focus on higher-level IT priorities instead of being bogged down by routine maintenance and troubleshooting tasks,” he says. 

CIAL Dun & Bradstreet Improves Networking and Security in Latin American with Cato Before components can be utilized in today’s electrical grid, they need to undergo rigorous testing and certification. That’s where CESI Group comes in. Centro Elettrotecnico Sperimentale Italiano – or CESI for short – is a Milan-headquartered global engineering and consulting company specializing in innovation, digitization, and testing for the electric power sector. With an almost 70-year legacy, CESI operates in 70 countries, assisting clients worldwide in navigating energy transition challenges.  In particular, conducting intensive product testing required CESI to manage vast amounts of proprietary measurement and test data. To protect this critical data, CESI needed a modern security infrastructure. This necessity, combined with the demand for a new network, led CESI Shared Services Director Daniele Daminelli, Luca Pantini CESI’s Head of Network, Infrastructure & Cybersecurity, and their IT team to embark on a SASE journey.  Daminelli who has a Ph.D. in corporate finance, understood the financial implications of IT investments. “We reached our ROI within 24 months by using Cato and saw a 30 percent cost reduction compared to our previous setup of legacy appliances and infrastructure, he says.”  Beyond cost savings, the impact on CESI’s IT team was transformative. “Cato significantly enhanced the efficiency of our daily operations, leading to a notable reduction in stress and workload,” says Daminelli. “The shift not only improved network security but also improved the overall work experience for the team, making IT management more seamless and less burdensome.  Legacy Complexity Led to High Costs and Plenty of Stress    Before Cato, CESI had a mix of network services and security solutions connecting sites, the cloud, and remote users. Offices and laboratories in Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, the US, and China were interconnected by SD-WAN and MPLS with VPN tunnels for accessing cloud applications. Firewalls and security appliances secured each location, providing basic firewalling and antivirus protection. The company’s 1,100 remote users were connected with multiple VPN solutions.  The limitations of that approach soon became evident. As CESI migrated its ERP, CRM, and other business applications to the cloud, the network struggled to keep pace. “Performance was slow, and users frequently complained about documents failing to save or applications becoming unresponsive,” says Daminelli.  The diverse infrastructure also made centralized monitoring difficult, preventing the IT team from gaining a unified view of network performance and security threats.  Security operations were also challenging with their mix of firewall appliances. The appliances were reaching end-of-life, so patching them wasn’t viable.   “We needed an IT infrastructure that could perform at maximum capacity, be managed seamlessly, and provide security safeguards for today and tomorrow,” says Daminelli.  After evaluating various solutions, Daminelli and his team chose Cato to address CESI’s evolving security and networking needs. The team replaced the combination of MPLS, SD-WAN appliances, and aging firewall appliances with the Cato SASE Cloud Platform. SASE Brought Easier Times to the CESI Team   With Cato deployed, the network became more reliable. “We mitigated previous issues related to network downtime and maintenance, leading to a more stable and efficient system,” says Pantini.   Previously, patching an SD-WAN device or firewall appliance required a shutdown, causing time and availability inefficiencies. Pantini found that “Cato’s robust scalable infrastructure mitigated previous issues related to network downtime maintenance and led to a more stable efficient system.”  Just as important from a network perspective was the ability to standardize their network offerings. Says Pantini, “The fact that we can easily install Cato at a site and quickly get them plugged in our network will be critical to getting all of our locations.”  Pantini and his team found they could easily replicate and harmonize policies for sites and users, closing potential security gaps. “Our security posture has improved substantially,” he says, “We are providing better protection across locations.”   A Solid Network Leads to Strategic Work  This same focus on simplicity and elegance led to significant operational improvements, as well. “We had a notable reduction in stress and workload,” says Daminelli. Less time was spent troubleshooting issues after hours, allowing for a more predictable and manageable work schedule.    Daminelli also liked that he had a simple, clear way to enrich CESI’s security posture in the future. “We started with Cato’s NGFW, but Cato offered us a structured roadmap for adopting and deploying new security technologies.”    "The deployment of Cato has had a positive impact on our operations. Our team can now focus on higher-level IT priorities instead of being bogged down by routine maintenance and troubleshooting tasks,” he says. 

Diamond Braces Uses Cato to Boost WAN Security, Performance, and Reliability Before components can be utilized in today’s electrical grid, they need to undergo rigorous testing and certification. That’s where CESI Group comes in. Centro Elettrotecnico Sperimentale Italiano – or CESI for short – is a Milan-headquartered global engineering and consulting company specializing in innovation, digitization, and testing for the electric power sector. With an almost 70-year legacy, CESI operates in 70 countries, assisting clients worldwide in navigating energy transition challenges.  In particular, conducting intensive product testing required CESI to manage vast amounts of proprietary measurement and test data. To protect this critical data, CESI needed a modern security infrastructure. This necessity, combined with the demand for a new network, led CESI Shared Services Director Daniele Daminelli, Luca Pantini CESI’s Head of Network, Infrastructure & Cybersecurity, and their IT team to embark on a SASE journey.  Daminelli who has a Ph.D. in corporate finance, understood the financial implications of IT investments. “We reached our ROI within 24 months by using Cato and saw a 30 percent cost reduction compared to our previous setup of legacy appliances and infrastructure, he says.”  Beyond cost savings, the impact on CESI’s IT team was transformative. “Cato significantly enhanced the efficiency of our daily operations, leading to a notable reduction in stress and workload,” says Daminelli. “The shift not only improved network security but also improved the overall work experience for the team, making IT management more seamless and less burdensome.  Legacy Complexity Led to High Costs and Plenty of Stress    Before Cato, CESI had a mix of network services and security solutions connecting sites, the cloud, and remote users. Offices and laboratories in Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, the US, and China were interconnected by SD-WAN and MPLS with VPN tunnels for accessing cloud applications. Firewalls and security appliances secured each location, providing basic firewalling and antivirus protection. The company’s 1,100 remote users were connected with multiple VPN solutions.  The limitations of that approach soon became evident. As CESI migrated its ERP, CRM, and other business applications to the cloud, the network struggled to keep pace. “Performance was slow, and users frequently complained about documents failing to save or applications becoming unresponsive,” says Daminelli.  The diverse infrastructure also made centralized monitoring difficult, preventing the IT team from gaining a unified view of network performance and security threats.  Security operations were also challenging with their mix of firewall appliances. The appliances were reaching end-of-life, so patching them wasn’t viable.   “We needed an IT infrastructure that could perform at maximum capacity, be managed seamlessly, and provide security safeguards for today and tomorrow,” says Daminelli.  After evaluating various solutions, Daminelli and his team chose Cato to address CESI’s evolving security and networking needs. The team replaced the combination of MPLS, SD-WAN appliances, and aging firewall appliances with the Cato SASE Cloud Platform. SASE Brought Easier Times to the CESI Team   With Cato deployed, the network became more reliable. “We mitigated previous issues related to network downtime and maintenance, leading to a more stable and efficient system,” says Pantini.   Previously, patching an SD-WAN device or firewall appliance required a shutdown, causing time and availability inefficiencies. Pantini found that “Cato’s robust scalable infrastructure mitigated previous issues related to network downtime maintenance and led to a more stable efficient system.”  Just as important from a network perspective was the ability to standardize their network offerings. Says Pantini, “The fact that we can easily install Cato at a site and quickly get them plugged in our network will be critical to getting all of our locations.”  Pantini and his team found they could easily replicate and harmonize policies for sites and users, closing potential security gaps. “Our security posture has improved substantially,” he says, “We are providing better protection across locations.”   A Solid Network Leads to Strategic Work  This same focus on simplicity and elegance led to significant operational improvements, as well. “We had a notable reduction in stress and workload,” says Daminelli. Less time was spent troubleshooting issues after hours, allowing for a more predictable and manageable work schedule.    Daminelli also liked that he had a simple, clear way to enrich CESI’s security posture in the future. “We started with Cato’s NGFW, but Cato offered us a structured roadmap for adopting and deploying new security technologies.”    "The deployment of Cato has had a positive impact on our operations. Our team can now focus on higher-level IT priorities instead of being bogged down by routine maintenance and troubleshooting tasks,” he says.