Cato adds SASE support accreditation, appoints channel exec

SASE (secure access service edge) platform provider Cato Networks has released the Cato Distinguished Support Providers (CDSP), the first channel accreditation for SASE technical support, as well as appointing Anthony D'Angelo to its executive team.

Cato says that the two moves build on Cato's global channel investments as channel sales have accounted for nearly 90% of business in 2020 so far.

"We're excited to welcome Anthony to the Cato team," says Cato Networks chief revenue office Alon Alter.

"Gartner's SASE framework has become the accepted way forward for enterprise networking and security, and channel partners can benefit from this major trend. Cato's SASE platform empowers partners to get to market quickly with new recurring revenue streams by delivering enterprise networking, security, and, now, support services.

Cato is expanding the Cato Partner Program into technical support services.

The Cato Distinguished Support Provider (CDSP) accreditation will identify those distinguished partners with the technical resources to support Cato customers independently.

CDSP-Certified partners will be able to deliver Cato SASE tier-1 support; CDSP-Expert partners will be able to deliver tier-1 and tier-2 support.

There is no cost to become a CDSP; training is free of charge. However, only select partners meeting specific training and support requirements will be accredited in each region.

With CDSP, partners will be able to deliver revenue-generating support services that improve customer satisfaction and increase customer retention.

They will differentiate themselves as SASE and Cato experts, enhancing their competitive advantage and market positioning. CDSPs benefit from priority in lead/deal sharing, access to Cato's support forum, and early availability of new features and versions.

Partners can use a single-pane-of-glass to configure, monitor, and manage their customers' infrastructure. Troubleshooting happens faster as deeper insight becomes possible when all events are stored into a data warehouse.

D'Angelo will serve as Cato global channel sales and business development vice president, driving Cato's channel ecosystem globally.

He'll be responsible for ensuring the continued success of Cato's master agents, VARs, and distributors while developing partnerships with leading system integrators and MSPs.

"I'm very excited to be joining Cato," D'Angelo says.

"Enterprise adoption of SASE will accelerate quickly, and the market opportunity is tremendous for partners who lead the way. With Cato, channel partners have the unique opportunity to address the customer's WAN edge, security, cloud, and mobility needs — with one solution – and all the while taking a larger share of the $60B managed network services market.