Cato Networks Adds Avant to Channel Program in National SD-WAN Expansion

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SD-WAN provider Cato Networks is expanding its national reach with the signing of master agent Avant Communications.

The Tel Aviv, Israel-based company announced Wednesday that Avant is now part of its channel partner program. Avant agents can sell Cato Cloud — Cato’s cloud-based SD-WAN offering. Cato bills its product as offering a built-in security platform and more easily connecting mobile users.

Cato Networks’ Nick Fan

“The enterprise is looking at displacing MPLS and [sending] their traffic through public Internet. You have to figure out how you’re going to secure every one of those sites. Traditional SD-WAN does not do that,” said Nick Fan, Cato’s vice president of sales for the Americas.

Fan tells Channel Partners that Avant provides a way to reach the subagent community. He also credited Avant’s resources — like the BattleApp.

The other advantage of the partnership is Avant’s presence across the U.S. Cato also partners with CNSG and MicroCorp, which have provided a regional focus on the East Coast and in the Southeast, respectively. MicroCorp signed with Cato last month.

Fan says Cato’s position as a platinum partner with Avant puts his company in a good position.

“With Avant having channel resources and channel managers all the way to the West Coast now with Isaiah [Hogberg, new West Coast channel director], it really provided the footprint for us to partner with a company with a national reach,” Fan said.

Avant co-founder Drew Lydecker told Channel Partners in September that his company’s SD-WAN play has taken off in the last year. Avant had been partnering with nine SD-WAN vendors, including VeloCloud, Aryaka and Silver Peak.

“Avant is a leader in channel sales of SD-WAN, tripling our channel’s SD-WAN revenue within the past year,” Lydecker said. “Cato’s rich capabilities of secure SD-WAN services, combined with Avant’s sales enablement platform, [are] poised to make a significant impact. SD-WAN is on fire in the industry and Cato/Avant stand ready to support it.”