Key Takeaways:
• Cato Private PoP enables service providers to deliver managed SASE services using their own network infrastructure
• Reduces operational complexity while enhancing compliance, security, and performance
• New offering is generally available to service providers worldwide
Cato Networks has introduced a new solution aimed at helping service providers transition to delivering fully managed Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) services while retaining control over their existing network assets. The new offering, called Cato Private PoP, allows providers to host Cato’s SASE Cloud Platform within their own infrastructure. This approach offers a strategic path for operators seeking to modernize security and networking services without incurring the cost and complexity typically associated with legacy appliance-based architectures.
According to Cato, Private PoP enables providers to deliver a wide array of SASE capabilities—including firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS), secure web gateway (SWG), intrusion prevention (IPS), cloud access security broker (CASB), zero trust network access (ZTNA), and more—directly from their own premises, while Cato handles lifecycle management, including patching and feature updates.
Jason Pender, Area Vice President of Global Service Providers at Cato Networks, described the offering as a way to “win the SASE game on their terms.” He emphasized that it lets providers preserve their infrastructure investments while delivering the advanced cloud-native features that enterprises increasingly require.
“They are able to retain control of their network infrastructure and protect existing revenues while offering an industry-leading SASE solution—with none of the operational complexity associated with legacy vendors,” said Pender.
Customer Impact and Initial Deployments
French service provider adista, part of the Inherent Group, has already deployed Cato Private PoPs in its national data centers. According to Jean-Félix Chevassu, Cybersecurity Director at adista, the move helps guarantee data sovereignty and ensures seamless connectivity across the provider’s managed services. He noted that the deployment also reduces latency and improves overall digital resilience.
“With Cato Private PoP on our premises, we can guarantee the sovereignty of the data. This unique integration into adista’s private cloud guarantees easy connection to all managed services while improving resilience and performance,” said Chevassu.
The Broader Market Context
As enterprise customers move away from MPLS and toward SD-WAN and SASE-based infrastructures, service providers face pressure to evolve. According to recent Gartner projections cited by Cato, by 2027, 65% of new SD-WAN purchases will be integrated into a single-vendor SASE solution—up from just 20% in 2024. The overall SASE market is expected to reach $28.5 billion by 2028, growing at a five-year compound annual growth rate of 26%.
However, service providers have often struggled to capture this shift due to the complexity of updating legacy infrastructure. Appliance-based deployments can be costly, require extensive maintenance, and delay the delivery of advanced security features. Cato Private PoP offers an alternative—enabling providers to simplify their operations and deliver up-to-date features via a cloud-managed platform hosted within their own networks.
Roy Chua, Principal Analyst at AvidThink, remarked that Private PoP provides “a proven and substantial revenue opportunity” for providers who are seeking to modernize their offerings.
Benefits for Service Providers
Cato outlined several key benefits of the Private PoP model for service providers:
- Revenue Expansion: The platform opens up opportunities to upsell managed security services to existing enterprise accounts and target new markets, including underserved SMB segments.
- Data Sovereignty and Compliance: Hosting PoPs within the provider’s infrastructure allows them to ensure regional data residency, helping clients meet jurisdictional requirements.
- Operational Efficiency: The platform eliminates the need for multiple hardware vendors and patch management cycles, offering centralized multi-tenant controls with options for co-branding and co-management.
By offloading software lifecycle responsibilities to Cato—including updates and deployment of new capabilities—service providers can focus on customer engagement, while offering a solution that remains current and scalable.
Availability
Cato Private PoP is now generally available for service providers globally. The offering represents an expansion of the company’s broader mission to streamline enterprise networking and security by unifying those functions within a single cloud-native platform.
Conclusion
Cato Networks is positioning its Private PoP solution as a bridge between traditional telecom infrastructure and the next generation of managed cloud services. As the global shift toward SASE accelerates, this offering may allow service providers to participate more actively in that transition—delivering advanced functionality without compromising on performance, data sovereignty, or operational efficiency.
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Rich Tehrani serves as CEO of TMC and chairman of ITEXPO #TECHSUPERSHOW Feb 10-12, 2026 and is CEO of RT Advisors and is a Registered Representative (investment banker) with and offering securities through Four Points Capital Partners LLC (Four Points) (Member FINRA/SIPC). He handles capital/debt raises as well as M&A. RT Advisors is not owned by Four Points.
The above is not an endorsement or recommendation to buy/sell any security or sector mentioned. No companies mentioned above are current or past clients of RT Advisors.
The views and opinions expressed above are those of the participants. While believed to be reliable, the information has not been independently verified for accuracy. Any broad, general statements made herein are provided for context only and should not be construed as exhaustive or universally applicable.
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