2021-08-17T13:25:00Z
NC
Content Manager at PeerSpot (formerly IT Central Station)
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Which is the better security solution - Cisco Umbrella or Zscaler?

How to choose between them?

3
PeerSpot user
3 Answers
Real User
Top 5
2021-08-17T14:00:34Z
Aug 17, 2021



Cisco Umbrella and Zscaler Internet Access are two broad-spectrum Internet security solutions that I have tried.


Zscaler Internet Access is a good option for carrying out multiple security functions in a single solution. It includes web filters, firewalls, and sand boxing. The platform is simple to implement and update. Since it is cloud-based, it saved me from having to handle complex local security configurations. The single-sign-on feature saved me from having to log in every time.


The web filtering and scanning are fast and don’t generate any latency. The bandwidth control is very useful for controlling endpoints and gives consistent service.


Although Zscaler Internet Access is easy to set up, it is far from user-friendly. The user interface for the management dashboard is difficult to navigate. Blocking websites is frustrating, and it only works well if you whitelist webs. The reporting feature is not customizable.


One advantage to Zscaler is that you can deploy it to your company’s mobile phones so you can keep all endpoints secure.


Cisco Umbrella is easy to implement, and it comes with built-in configurations so you don’t need to configure them yourself. It gives you statistics so you can adjust policies according to threat patterns. It is stable and very simple. Once you install it, you can get it running in a few minutes. It is very well suited for distributed networks with many on-premises endpoints. Additionally, DNS security is top notch.


On the downside, the statistics on Cisco Umbrella are quite difficult to parse. We found it was difficult to integrate the solution with MS Active Directory.



Conclusions


Cisco Umbrella is powerful and helps to secure a network, especially with distributed users. Both solutions are strong, but I think Cisco Umbrella might be more useful for large enterprises.

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CB
Executive at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Reseller
Top 10
2021-08-18T14:47:52Z
Aug 18, 2021

I would widen my options to include Netskope. 


Tech support is far better should or if you require it, deployment is much faster, and integrations with API's is better than either of the other two.

JO
Network Support Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 20
2021-12-06T08:18:41Z
Dec 6, 2021

Fantastic points you have highlighted Leah. The DNS functionality of the Umbrella. 


I think the functionality I love about Umbrella is that it's an enterprise solution providing web security for both on-prem and mobile users. Being a cloud solution centralized management of the solution is made easy. Thank you, Cisco.

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Umbrella vs. Zscaler Internet Access and other solutions. Updated: March 2023.
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