Cato Networks appoints second UK distributor to bag connectivity partners

Cloud Distribution added to distie line-up to boost vendor's number of connectivity partners, director says

SD-WAN vendor Cato Networks has appointed a second UK distributor, with Cloud Distribution joining incumbent Ignition Technology.

Cato has been working with Ignition since launching in the UK market in 2016, but has now tweaked its strategy to have two disties.

The change comes after it announced an overhaul of its "fragmented" partner programme.

The vendor's technology is seen as a more affordable alternative to traditional MPLS, with its built-in security a key differentiator, according to Cloud Distribution's partner development director Bruce Hockin.

He said that Cato wants to expand its partner base beyond the traditional security space it has typically targeted in the UK.

"Their existing distributor is very focused on the security landscape and that is not where the future of this business is. The future is developing a channel of connectivity partners that understand WANs and MPLS," Hockin explained.

"We have been brought on board to develop a channel in the WAN and connectivity space.

"It is a guarantee that it will replace international MPLS and people have to go with it. That is why the big carriers will offer SD-WAN services, otherwise they will lose customers.

"They wanted us to focus on that. If we were pure-play security, I don't think it would have been as compelling, but we know a lot of people in the space they want to enter."

Cloud said it is looking for up to 10 partners in the UK with experience in the WAN and MPLS spaces to take the Cato solution to market.

Cato will continue to work with Ignition Technology, with the distributor's chief strategy officer Sean Remnant telling CRN that Cato is now looking to have two distributors in every region.

Remnant said that over the last three years both Cato's solution and the market have matured.

"The interest and uptake of secure SDN (software-defined networking) is growing fast," he explained.

"Having now worked with Cato for over three years we have not only seen the solution mature but also the market.

"[It is] basically the same purchasing motion that they have experienced in the past with MPLS, but with less cost and more value with a solution that is right for the way we do business today. We're also seeing significant incremental sales of existing installed base and a very high attach rate on renewals - a great indicator that customers are seeing value.

"There is now more competition in the space than ever and it's imperative that the channel is well educated on the subject in order to be able to support their customers in making the right vendor selection for their needs."

Cato's EMEA VP of sales Luca Simonelli added: "Through our partnership with Cloud Distribution, resellers can now provide a highly cost-effective, scalable and secure WAN to their customer base while removing the complexity and cost that comes with traditional MPLS.

"This means an easy solution deployment without the capacity constraints, costly maintenance overhead, and restricted visibility and control. This is where new technology meets demand."