Cato Networks updated its software-defined perimeter (SDP) platform with a single sign-on (SSO) feature designed to help remote workers access their software-as-a-service (SaaS) and legacy applications. The move comes as more than 100 million Americans join millions more around the globe already under lockdown, which is in turn straining enterprise infrastructure.

The new Instant Access feature allows employees to access their SaaS and legacy applications from an SSO portal in Cato's SDP that the vendor claims to be the first built on a secure access service edge (SASE) architecture. Initially defined by Gartner, SASE combines elements of network security and SD-WAN into a single cloud-native platform.

Cato said the SASE architecture promises less complexity, shorter deployment times, improved security, and better performance at scale.

“With the global health crisis, enterprises are looking to deploy work-from-home capabilities at scale. Cato has seen remote access adoption more than double since the outbreak of COVID-19," said Shlomo Kramer, CEO and co-founder of Cato Networks, in a statement.”

According to Kramer, Instant Access will enable IT teams to keep up with the rising demand for remote access, as more and more employees are asked to work from home.

Cato says traditional virtual private networks (VPNs) simply can't scale effectively to meet this demand and can introduce security risks. Unlike a VPN, Cato's Instant Access allows users to securely access business applications over the vendor's private backbone. More importantly, the service doesn't require additional software or hardware. Applications can be added to the portal right from the Cato management console.

Cato has already begun rolling out Instant Access to some of its hardest-hit customers.

Geosyntec Consultants, a multinational engineering firm with more than 80 offices around the world, is one of several enterprises now deploying the service to mitigate the rise in remote traffic. Edo Nakdimon, senior IT manager for Geosyntec, said the ongoing pandemic has been hitting the limits of its VPN service. "Instead of purchasing more VPN server licenses, we equipped remote users with Cato Access. In a matter of 30 minutes we configured the Cato mobile solution with single sign-on based on our Azure AD," he said.

Shanghai-based ASM Assembly Systems is also utilizing the new service. Ian Bleazard, assembly systems IT director for the firm, explained in a statement that in response to the COVID-19 outbreak the company's VPN services hit 79% utilization as usage jumped threefold. To address this demand, ASM began shifting remote workers on to Cato's platform, allowing them to free up VPN capacity.