Getting Started with the Cato Management Application (New CMA UI Overview)

Introduction

Managing a secure, high-performing network across globally distributed teams doesn’t have to be complicated. With the newly redesigned Cato Management Application (CMA), introduced in early 2025, system administrators get a task-oriented interface built around real-world workflows. Instead of navigating through outdated menus and buried settings, you now have a streamlined experience that aligns with the way modern IT teams operate.
 

Whether you’re setting up your first site, configuring security policies, or troubleshooting performance issues, this guide will help you understand the new CMA layout and give you practical steps and tips to get started confidently.
 

Key Takeaways

• Get familiar with the new six-tab CMA layout built around daily workflows
• Learn which tabs handle site deployment, remote access, and security rules
• Discover helpful shortcuts and monitoring tools in the Home tab
• Find out where shared objects and logs are organized for better visibility
• Begin managing your Cato environment faster with guided insights
   

Interface Overview: A Tab Structure That Reflects How Admins Work

The new CMA interface is broken down into six intuitive tabs: Home, Network, Access, Security, Resources, and Account. Here’s how each one supports key jobs:

Home

This is your mission control. It offers live dashboards for: - Application Analytics: Spot latency issues or app-specific slowness - Experience Monitoring: Get a real-time view of user, app, and site performance - Threats & XDR Stories: Understand the full path of a potential breach
 

Pro tip: Use Home > Experience Monitoring when users complain about slowness—it saves time compared to checking each site manually.

Network

This tab is for setting up and maintaining your infrastructure. You’ll: - Add and manage Sites (Socket, vSocket, or cloud-only) - View and edit your Topology and routing - Use tools like Ping, Traceroute, and Site Snapshots for troubleshooting

Use case: Just added a branch office in Dubai? Create a site, assign PoPs, and validate connectivity within minutes.

Access

Manage users, clients, and Zero Trust policies: - Onboard remote users with Cato Clients (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android) - Integrate with IdPs (Azure AD, Okta, etc.) - Monitor live sessions to spot anomalies
 

Real-world tip: If you see spikes in client disconnects, check the “Client Sessions” view to identify patterns.

Security

All your protection rules in one place: - Set Internet and WAN Firewall rules - Enable IPS, Anti-Malware, DLP, and Tenant Controls - Review blocked flows and drill into threats directly

Example: After a recent phishing alert, use the Threat Event Log to trace how the payload attempted to travel internally.

Resources

Think of this as your policy toolkit: - Define shared objects (IPs, ports, groups, apps) - Manage App Catalogs for CASB enforcement - Reuse policies across the environment
 

Guidance: Use consistent naming for objects to avoid duplication across admins.

Account

Configure access and governance settings: - Set up RBAC and audit trails - Customize SSO and branding - Generate API tokens and assign licenses
 

Best practice: Regularly audit role permissions under “Users & Roles”—especially before handing over projects to new IT staff.
 

Practical Scenario: Onboarding a New Site with Confidence

Let’s say you’ve just been assigned to deploy a new office branch. Here’s a quick flow that mirrors how many admins operate:
 

1. Go to Network, add your site (choose Socket or vSocket), assign bandwidth settings.
2. Jump into Access, push the Cato Client to your users via MDM, verify live sessions.
3. Head to Home to validate user experience via dashboards.
4. Open Security and apply baseline firewall and malware rules.

This experience-first interface reduces steps, eliminates guesswork, and helps you complete onboarding in under an hour.
 

Getting Started: What to Click First

Follow this sequence to get oriented quickly:
 

1. Home – Evaluate current status, get ahead of threats or outages.
2. Network – Set up physical or virtual sites.
3. Access – Deploy client agents and define ZTNA rules.
4. Security – Apply inspection and protection policies.
5. Resources – Define shared elements like groups and apps.
6. Account – Assign roles, verify compliance logs, and check licensing.
    

Next Steps

Log in to your CMA portal and start with the Home tab. Familiarize yourself with analytics and experience dashboards. Try clicking through site tiles and using filters. From there, move sequentially through each tab and note how workflows naturally guide you. Click Here To Know More
 

FAQ 

Can I revert to the old interface layout?

Yes. Go to Account > Settings and toggle the “Use legacy navigation” option.
 

Where can I find logs for remote client sessions?

Go to Access > Client Sessions to view real-time user data.

How can I inspect firewall or threat events?

These are available under Home > Threats or Security > Event Log.

Where do I manage admin roles and user access?

Admin settings can be found under Account > Users & Roles.

Is the AI Assistant accessible from the new interface?

Yes, click the Help icon at the top-right corner to access AI-powered assistance.

How does FSD-Tech help teams adopt the new Cato CMA interface faster?

The onboarding process is simplified through hands-on guidance from FSD-Tech, which aligns the CMA’s tabbed interface with real-world IT workflows to help admins get productive from day one.

Can shared objects and policies be configured with FSD-Tech’s help?

Absolutely. With FSD-Tech’s implementation support, shared objects like IP groups, app lists, and port sets are organized for consistency—reducing policy duplication and simplifying management inside the Resources tab.
 

What support is available during new site onboarding in CMA?

New branches can be brought online quickly with help from FSD-Tech, who guide the full process—from site creation and bandwidth setup to client deployment and initial security policy application.
 

How are performance issues and disconnects monitored?

FSD-Tech uses built-in tools like Experience Monitoring and Client Sessions in CMA to quickly identify patterns behind latency or frequent disconnects, saving admins from time-consuming manual checks.
 

What role does FSD-Tech play in Zero Trust policy setup?

Zero Trust access is enforced by integrating identity providers and applying role-based controls—tasks that FSD-Tech handles through the CMA’s Access and Security tabs to secure every user and device.
 

Can threat events be tracked through CMA with FSD-Tech?

Yes. FSD-Tech enables real-time threat tracking by leveraging dashboards under Home > Threats and the Security > Event Log, helping teams drill into alerts and understand how threats propagate.

Is admin role configuration part of FSD-Tech’s deployment service?

Admin permissions, SSO, and audit settings are configured as part of FSD-Tech’s deployment process using the Account tab, ensuring secure access control and governance from day one.
 

How are network issues diagnosed with FSD-Tech?

Troubleshooting tools such as Traceroute, Ping, and Site Snapshots are used by FSD-Tech to quickly isolate network issues, verify PoP connectivity, and resolve performance degradation.
 

Are CMA workflows customizable for different IT environments?

Yes. FSD-Tech adapts CMA workflows to match enterprise IT structures, whether centralized or distributed, ensuring the platform fits into how your teams already work.
 

What post-deployment enablement does FSD-Tech provide?

After setup, FSD-Tech delivers custom runbooks, alerting strategies, and admin coaching to ensure your team is fully equipped to manage the environment confidently through the CMA interface.