Cato Networks Intros XDR, EPP To SASE Platform To Expand Beyond Networking, Threat Detection

'I think this makes them just that much more of an all-in-one threat to a lot of the competition out there. [Cato] saw that concept of SASE before a lot of others did. I do think that this is a really a logical next step,’ one Cato partner tells CRN of the company's addition of more security elements to its cloud-based SASE platform.

Cato Networks, a company that's becoming increasingly formidable in the secure access service edge (SASE) market, has expanded its Cato SASE Cloud platform with the inclusion of threat detection and incident response, the company revealed on Tuesday.

Cato XDR, what the company is referring to as "the world's first SASE-based, extended detection and response (XDR)" offering, further highlights how Cato is continuing to build out its platform with incident response in mind. Cato also introduced a SASE-managed endpoint protection platform (EPP) as the company grows its SASE platform beyond networking, threat prevention and data protection, Frank Rauch, Cato's global channel chief, told CRN.

"The reason that [partners] are excited about this announcement is basically [because] it's just more of an integrated platform. The feedback from partners right now is that platforms are winning … Cato really is the antidote to security complexity," said Rauch (pictured above).

Cato XDR and EPP are available now through the channel.

[Related: Cato Networks CEO On How 'Myopic' Focus On SASE Is Helping It Win Against Cisco, Fortinet And Palo Alto Networks]

Unlike separate point security offerings, Cato's cloud-based SASE platform blends networking and security together, at scale, to give IT teams a single, shared context they can use to visualize networks, prevent threats, and resolve problems, according to Cato.

"If you look at the number of security jobs open right now, the complexity of security, and the legacy firewall boxes; everything that a customer or [partner] has to deal with in terms of just the cost of being able to support a security environment, that's why they're really loving Cato right now," Rauch said.

Having a platform play for SASE has become increasingly critical to end customers. It also makes Cato stand out in the market, said Niko O'Hara, senior director of engineering for Chicago-based Avant Communications, a technology distributor and Cato partner.

"I think this makes them just that much more of an all-in-one threat to a lot of the competition out there. [Cato] saw that concept of SASE before a lot of others did," he said. "I do think that this is a really a logical next step. "We're securing your access to all of these applications. We're securing all your network traffic, we have an agent on the endpoint, why aren't we just securing that endpoint? Oh, wait, let's do that too.'"

The market is seeing the consolidation of security and networking services and products to reduce complexity, O'Hara said.

"From a partner perspective, you can't talk about one without talking about the other. And if you do, you're limiting your options and what you can sell, and someone else is going to talk come in and have the conversation around both, and they're going to cut you out," he said. "You really have to be armed to speak to SD-WAN and the network, but also security service edge and all those components."

Partners can add XDR and EPP to their customers' existing SASE infrastructures as a value-added service or managed service, Cato's Rauch said.

Partners and their end customers on the Cato platform can now not only detect security threats, but they can be proactive because the once separate elements of a security posture, like XDR and EPP, is being built into one platform. This approach removes the need for partners and customers to use a best of breed approach to connectivity and security, Rauch said.

"If you also think about it as a managed service provider, your operational costs are decreased so much just simply because of the simplicity," he added.

Tel Aviv, Israel-based Cato Networks this past September raised $238 million in equity investment, which the company said it plans to put part toward expanding the partner ecosystem offering managed Cato SASE services.

To that end, the company on Monday announced the appointment of Addie Finch as the area vice president of channel resellers and strategic partners for the Americas region. Finch will report to Rauch. The company also announced that it has added Dianne Bruno to lead worldwide marketing for Cato, having most recently spent time at VMware as its global channel management leader for SASE and SD-WAN.