We have been using Cato Networks as a solution for firewall and secure web gateway.

It's provided us the solution for firewall and secure web gateway.

The main features we use are the firewall and secure web gateway.

There isn't much to improve as we have a close relationship with them, providing information for research and development. We cannot disclose further details due to a nondisclosure agreement.

We have been working with Cato Networks for two years now.

I would rate the stability of the solution as ten on a scale of one to ten.

We chose Cato Networks due to its scalability and ability to expand the network.

Our customer service experience is excellent, however, this might be due to our special partnership with them.

Positive

We did a lot of evaluations. Most competitors didn't meet our needs due to pricing and functionality.

The initial setup was done in-house and was simple.

The setup was handled in-house, without the need for consultants.

I would rate the pricing as seven out of ten. The pricing is flexible due to our special partnership with Cato Networks.

We compared it with competitors like Versa and Prisma.

I would definitely recommend Cato Networks to other users.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

We primarily use the platform for monitoring purposes. It serves as a SaaS solution integrated with SD-WAN and security functionalities.

The product's most valuable features include advanced firewall capabilities for robust security, a secure gateway for safe data transmission, and next-generation anti-malware for threat prevention. Additionally, the SASE framework integrates well with our operational needs, ensuring comprehensive security and compliance.

The product's technical support could be more responsive.

I have been using the Cato SASE Cloud Platform for around seven months.

I rate the product stability a nine. 

The product accommodates varying customer requirements effectively, facilitating easy scaling as needed.

I would rate the scalability an eight. 

The technical support services need improvement. 

Positive

The initial setup process was straightforward, taking about one to one and a half hours. It involved minimal complexities, handled efficiently by two individuals, primarily myself.

Based on studies from Forrester, our organization has achieved a significant return on investment of approximately 246% within less than six months of deploying Cato.

The platform is expensive. 

Cato's user-friendly dashboard has contributed positively to our experience, making it suitable for our current operational needs.

Integrating SD-WAN has significantly optimized our network performance by enabling path selection for optimal traffic routing, WAN optimization through protocol acceleration, and seamless traffic encryption without compromising performance.

I rate it an eight. 

We mainly use the Cato SASE Cloud Platform to provide internet and increase reliability. We have two links on each site, which gives us network security through the cloud and unified management from one portal. Any changes we make are automatically applied to the on-site device.

Unified management and internet duplication are our most valuable features. They provide a seamless experience for end users—if one link goes down, they can still work without noticing.

It has improved our efficiency because we don't need to configure individual devices, reducing configuration errors. It also provides additional security. Unlike our previous solution, the solution uses certificates to inspect all traffic, effectively blocking malicious content.

I have been using the product for four years. 

I'd rate the tool's stability a ten out of ten. We've never noticed any outages.

The Cato SASE Cloud Platform's scalability is great. You buy the license, and it's ready to go. I'd rate its scalability a ten out of ten.

Everyone in our organization uses it because it's our main gateway to the Internet. As for management, it's mainly me, as the IT manager, configuring it, with two IT specialists occasionally helping with smaller tasks.

We reach out to the support occasionally for minor problems. They're pretty quick, but if an issue needs to be escalated to a higher level, it can take two to three days to get a result.

Positive

The setup and onboarding process is very straightforward - I'd rate it a ten out of ten for ease. We use CatoCloud as our cloud provider. They have points of presence, and we connect to the nearest one to our physical location. All the routing, inspection, and logic for what to route, block, or allow happens in the cloud, not on the local device. Our deployment took a couple of weeks because we installed the sites manually.

If we had a team to help switch locally, it could have been done in a week. The deployment process is straightforward. We set up all the sites in their cloud system; then, they ship the sockets directly to the location or our main office. We connect the device to the internet, it gets activated, we assign it to a specific site inside the cloud, and it's online and ready to use. It's very easy.

We deployed in-house; Cato SASE Cloud Platform team members weren't required. Most of the work is done by configuring the portal, and connecting the physical device is very simple.

We haven't noticed any measurable ROI outcomes since implementing the Cato SASE Cloud Platform, but we've seen a significant improvement in our internet reliability. Previously, we had many complaints when the internet went down, as there were disruptions when it didn't switch over immediately. Now, we hardly have any issues or tickets related to this. We either notice problems on time and address them with the carrier, or end users usually don't notice any disruptions due to having two network connections. This has increased overall internet reliability across all our sites.

I'd rate Cato SASE Cloud Platform's pricing as about five or six out of ten. It's not the cheapest solution, but it is cheaper than Palo Alto and even VeloCloud. We've been working with them for a while and have significant discounts. Our licensing costs vary because we keep adding sites, but it's about 280 per month per site. This includes additional features beyond the base product, starting at around 200.

We tested the product to see if it worked in our environment, as each setup is different. It works well for us because we have many locations, and it helps greatly with managing all of them. It's an easy solution to connect everything instead of manually managing everything. It can suit small and enterprise businesses, but it might work better for businesses with multiple locations. It could even work for a large corporate building, but it needs to be tested thoroughly.

I rate the solution a ten out of ten. 

The tool's most valuable feature is its CASB feature. From my experience with customers, they initially tried the Cato SASE Cloud Platform because they had specific issues that traditional solutions couldn't solve. These issues included connectivity and performance problems from countries like Vietnam, China, and Turkey and challenges with roaming employees. Initially curious and skeptical, they found that the tool addressed these challenges. As a result, it expanded its deployment beyond difficult countries to regions like the UK, Canada, and Europe. Customers appreciate the unified management console and the benefits of a zero-trust network approach to VPN.

The tool's advantage is that it provides a hassle-free solution that is easy to manage across all customers. For instance, we have a few customers with as few as 50 users, including one with a branch in Vietnam and others with thousands of users.

Configurations are more complex for larger companies, such as our largest customer, with around 3000 users across Italy, Turkey, the UK, and Canada. However, even for experienced network professionals familiar with Check Point and Cisco appliances, the tool is straightforward to understand, manage, and configure.

The entire interface has received positive feedback so far. I must highlight the tool's knowledge base, which is comparable to that of other leading products like Netskope. While the sales process may sometimes take longer, adding CASB features in recent years has significantly enhanced its capabilities. Netskope is a more mature product, albeit at a higher price point compared to the solution. 

The tool should improve its interface. 

I have been working with the product for four years. 

My rating for the Cato SASE Cloud Platform is very high. I've known it since 2015 when it first entered the Italian market, and I appreciate its new philosophy and roadmap. From my feedback, customers are very positive about the product. However, one challenge we face is convincing customers to try the solution, especially when they are already familiar with larger vendors like Palo Alto or Cisco.

Every proof of concept we've conducted so far has been successful. Customers typically start with a trial for a specific pain point, often at one or two branches, and then expand their deployment once they see the benefits. 

I rate the overall solution a nine out of ten. 

For the past three years, our company has operated as a managed service provider across various continents. We assist clients in choosing the most suitable platforms or managing their existing ones. Our services aim to control costs, optimize IT spending, and effectively streamline necessary IT management processes.

Cato SASE Cloud Platform is a remarkable solution for managing and controlling all aspects of Zero Trust network access functions through its SASE capabilities. It's designed with an exquisite and practical architecture, making it a worthwhile investment for organizations looking to optimize IT spending and streamline management processes. The single SASE cloud engine, known as the space engine, is particularly effective for threat prevention as it integrates critical functions related to network security seamlessly. This engine simplifies the management of flow control, segmentation, threat prevention, and application protection through an intuitive interface, offering a comprehensive solution from a single pane of glass.

It could expand its reach into other sectors like professional services and finance, requiring more specialized tools beyond Cato's current offerings. This includes better integration with third-party providers for more sophisticated tools such as intrusion prevention systems, anti-malware, and data loss prevention. Additionally, enhancing network speed and optimizing last-mile connectivity for managed service providers like us would be beneficial.

Cato SASE Cloud Platform is incredibly stable, with high availability and reliability. It's one of the most dependable solutions in the market, especially for global SASE deployments.

I would rate its stability ten out of ten.

Scalability is an inherent feature of Cato SASE Cloud Platform, as it is familiar with all SASE platforms and software as a service (SaaS) models. This scalability is essential for cloud-based services like Cato, allowing businesses to expand operations efficiently without compromising performance or reliability. They’re expanding their presence in critical locations, demonstrating financial solid and engineering investments. They provide comprehensive monthly updates to partners, showcasing consistent growth and technological advancements.

I would rate this ten out of ten.

The technical support for the Cato SASE Cloud Platform is top-notch. They have a competent and responsive team.

Positive

The initial setup of the Cato SASE Cloud Platform is straightforward and can be quickly implemented by an experienced team.Cato SASE Cloud Platform is typically deployed as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution. Cato manages its infrastructure, including firewalls and security tools, in its environment. For network access, managed service providers may need to deploy limited hardware, such as access points, at client premises. Cato provides all the tools
and services in the cloud, making deployment straightforward for users.

The ROI is typically achieved within a few months, making it a cost-effective solution. Using Cato as a complete SASE solution or solely for security as a service (SSE 360) provides flexibility and caters to specific business needs. This business model benefits Cato and us as a managed service provider. The ROI from the Cato SASE Cloud Platform has been quite good. While the solution is expensive, Cato's comprehensive management reduces the need for extensive support and expertise.

The pricing is on the higher side, almost an eight out of ten.

AI is integrated into the Cato SASE Cloud Platform through various security tools like CASB, Kaspersky solution, DLP, and intrusion prevention system. These tools utilize AI to identify anomalies and patterns to enhance security measures. The AI integration in Cato's solution is practical enough for average retail, logistics, and manufacturing clients.

However, additional robust solutions may be necessary for clients in highly regulated sectors or those with more sophisticated security needs. As for incident response times, Cato's competent team continuously updates their AI-based security tools to protect against evolving malware attacks and maintain high security.

I would recommend the Cato SASE Cloud Platform to others. It's a trusted solution in the industry, and Cato is known for reliability and leadership. Various research companies like Forrester, Gartner, and others have recognized Cato as a leader in SASE solutions. Overall, I would rate the SASE solution from Cato an eight out of ten.