Cato Networks introduces pooled SASE licensing model to help MSPs scale SMB security

Marijan Hassan - Tech Journalist

34 minutes ago

2 min read

Cato Networks has launched Cato SMB FlexPool, a pooled Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) licensing model designed to remove procurement and operational friction for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and telecom partners serving small and midsize business (SMB) clients.

Alongside the new licensing framework, the cloud networking and security vendor unveiled the MSASE Business Center, a centralized dashboard engineered to provide partners and Cato teams with unified visibility into customer account lifecycles, license usage, and order management.

Eliminating Per-Customer Procurement Overhead

Historically, MSPs deploying enterprise security solutions to smaller clients were forced to execute separate licensing transactions and individual procurement processes for each new customer account. This administrative overhead slowed down onboarding and constrained margins across high-volume, low-margin SMB accounts.

The SMB FlexPool model restructures that workflow by granting partners access to a dedicated pool of Cato licenses and bandwidth capacity:

Portable License Allocation: MSPs purchase a master capacity pool and dynamically distribute or reallocate licenses across their SMB client base as underlying customer demand changes.
Instant Self-Service Provisioning: Partners can spin up new customer accounts, assign capacity, and activate security services independently without back-and-forth vendor approvals.
Custom Service Packaging: MSPs retain full ownership over pricing, product packaging, and branding, allowing them to bundle Cato's converged networking and security capabilities under their own unique SKUs.

Targeted Operations via Centralized Management

To support the pooled model, Cato’s new MSASE Business Center provides IT- and telecom-focused partners with a single operational portal. The dashboard consolidates license utilization tracking, automated invoicing, customer usage analytics, and lifecycle monitoring into one interface.

"MSPs shouldn't have to slow down customer deployments because of licensing and operational overhead," said Karl Soderlund, Global Channel Chief at Cato Networks. "SMB FlexPool aims to remove that friction with instant provisioning and flexible pooled licensing, enabling partners to activate new customers while maintaining full control of the customer experience."

Capitalizing on Surging SMB Demand for SASE

The launch reflects a broader strategic pivot by Cato to capture SMB market share through managed service channels. As smaller businesses face escalating cyber threats alongside constrained internal IT resources, demand for converged SASE platforms has accelerated.

Cato, which reported a 42% year-over-year increase in annualized recurring revenue to $415 million, expects hundreds of MSP and telecom partners to adopt the FlexPool model over the coming year as service providers seek more repeatable, automated security deployment models.