Platform Architecture
Cato SASE Platform Architecture
Secure and optimized access for everyone, everywhere, at any scale, and to any application — while offloading day-to-day work from your IT and reducing dependency on scarce skills.
One single-pass engine. One global cloud.
Multiple network and security functions converge into one cloud-native software stack, distributed across a purpose-built global private backbone.
One open data lake. AI across the platform.
Every flow's rich context feeds one open data lake that powers AI/ML threat detection, autonomous operations, and AI-assisted response.
Legacy architectures hold the business back.
Legacy infrastructure silos
Multiple point solutions and legacy WAN/appliance refreshes create cost, complexity, and integration burden — slowing innovation and burning IT resources.
Scarce skills and IT burden
Day-to-day planning, scaling, and maintenance depend on specialized, hard-to-find expertise.
Inconsistent protection and blind spots
Controls differ across users, sites, datacenters, and cloud — leaving gaps as applications migrate.
Converge. Distribute. Automate.
Cato converges networking and security into one cloud-native platform — built from the ground up, not stitched together. A single-pass engine, a global private cloud, and one open data lake work together to secure and optimize every user, site, and application.
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Converge in a single-pass engine
The Single Pass Cloud Engine (SPACE) converges NGFW, threat prevention, and CASB/DLP/ZTNA into one cloud-native stack, enforcing policy consistently for inline and out-of-band traffic.
Distribute on a global cloud
Thousands of SPACEs run on bare-metal compute across worldwide PoPs, interconnected by tier-1 carriers and delivering low-latency inspection close to every user and location.
Automate with AI across the platform
Continuously trained on a massive data lake, AI self-heals infrastructure, auto-classifies apps and devices, and augments SecOps with root-cause analysis and response recommendations.
The Cato SASE Cloud Platform: SASE Elegance at Its Best
Platform Architecture Capabilities
Single Pass Cloud Engine (SPACE)
Cato’s core security engine converges flow control and segmentation, threat prevention, and application and data protection into one cloud-native stack — enforcing policy consistently for inline and out-of-band traffic.
- NGFW flow control and network segmentation
- Threat prevention — SWG, IPS, NGAM, RBI
- App & data protection — CASB, DLP, ZTNA
A purpose-built global cloud
Thousands of SPACEs run on bare-metal compute across worldwide PoPs, interconnected by multiple tier-1 carriers — delivering low-latency inspection close to every user and location.
- Global private backbone of PoPs
- Multiple tier-1 carriers, no hyperscaler dependency
- Low-latency inspection close to every edge
An open data platform
Every inspected flow feeds rich network, device, user, app, and data context — plus hundreds of third-party feeds — into one open data lake, accessible through the Cato API.
- Rich per-flow context from every edge
- Hundreds of Cato & third-party feeds
- Queryable via the Cato API
Unified policy control, everywhere
All capabilities — NGFW, CASB, DLP, ZTNA, threat prevention, and AI controls — run on a single policy engine. This eliminates the inconsistency that leaves gaps attackers exploit. One policy definition enforces consistently across every user, site, application, and location.
- One policy definition for networking, security, and access
- Consistent enforcement across every edge and location
- Eliminates gaps and simplifies compliance audits
360° visibility and control across every edge
Architected to consistently support every edge — devices, users, branches, physical and cloud datacenters, and business apps — so point solutions can be replaced.
- Holistic visibility across all traffic
- Mitigate web attacks and malware propagation across locations
- Continuous protection as apps migrate to the cloud
Autonomous platform life-cycle management
Cato sustains resiliency, scale, performance, and global reach automatically — taking complex planning and testing away from IT.
- Self-evolving and self-healing across cloud, edge, and clients
- Self-optimizing routing and self-scaling across SPACEs
- Self-expanding — new PoPs serve nearby users automatically
Automated security posture management
Hundreds of Cato and third-party feeds are ingested and distributed to every SPACE globally in near-real-time, with AI/ML validating feed quality.
- Near-real-time global feed distribution
- New rules simulated on real traffic, then deployed in 24–48h
- No IT involvement, no end-user impact
Gradual, fast, and flexible deployment
Zero-touch provisioning and self-service client rollout enable selective deployment by use case, geography, or org unit. The modular platform coexists with existing infrastructure, allowing gradual adoption on your terms.
- Connect physical sites with zero-touch SD-WAN
- Deploy clients via self-service or MDM
- Co-exist with existing routers, firewalls, and cloud security
Universal management from a single pane of glass
Configure, troubleshoot, and analyze every capability through one console, with one universal API to access all platform data.
- Policies distributed to all PoPs, SPACEs, and Clients
- Consistent enforcement everywhere
- One API to automate integrations
AI-powered platform operations
Continuously trained on a massive data lake, the platform self-heals infrastructure, auto-classifies apps and devices, and guides safe TLS inspection.
- Proactively resolve failures and maintain availability
- Instantly recognize new SaaS services and endpoints
- Intelligent, safe handling of encrypted traffic
AI-powered security and SecOps
AI streamlines troubleshooting, alert management, and remediation, supports analysts with root-cause analysis, and governs Shadow AI usage.
- Root-cause analysis and response recommendations
- Policy advisor aligned to organizational intent
- Classify AI services and govern data shared with them
Customers love Cato
Today, my team is working from one platform, one console, and one view of the entire environment. We're 80% of the way to full Zero Trust, costs are down, and instead of managing vendor sprawl, we're focused on moving the business forward. That's what Cato made possible.
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Secure every interaction across the enterprise, cloud, and AI with the only purpose-built SASE platform.
15–30 minute session with a SASE product expert
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