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.
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.
Hi peers,
I work at a large university. I am currently researching DNS security solutions.
If you had to choose one or the other, would you choose Cisco Umbrella or Palo Alto Networks DNS Security as your DNS solution, and why?
Thank you for your help.
Independent Business Owner at Practical Information Systems
Feb 15, 2023
I would choose Umbrella first. Firstly, it's 100% cloud-based (private Cisco cloud) from the ground up, with no need for a new appliance, firewall, or server and they have their own DNS servers worldwide in an anycast configuration that has never ever been down. Those DNS servers do the filtering for you so the university network won't be affected by filtering. It's highly scalable and you can choose between different packages with other Cisco security products integration or more advanced information. Umbrella uses data from many different security sources, even AI so it actually filters sites even before they get publicly reported as malicious. It's a very proactive solution. It's very easy to set up initially from a central location even though you may set up different networks with their own filtering rules. You can set it up initially with basic filtering rules very fast and make it more complex later on. They offer special education institutions discounts even though the solution is already very competitive cost-wise. They invented DNS security and have been working on it longer than anyone by far. I've been using it for over 10 years, even before it was bought and enhanced by Cisco's own products (the solution was named OpenDNS Enterprise before) with no problems whatsoever. The other vendors have yet to catch up with them IMO. Their support is very good although you seldom have to use it. By the way, you may contact many universities and other educational institutions which have been using their solution for a long time for advice. Another big advantage is you can take advantage of it even in a hybrid working solution. Even if your students or faculty access or work from another location they will still be protected through the use of an agent. And you can integrate login through the active directory. To summarize, no other product compares for versatility IMO.
Hello Peers,
I am a director at a small company.
At the moment, I'm researching these two products for my company: Symantec Fireglass and Cisco Umbrella.
Which product do you prefer to use? What are the pros and cons of each solution?
Thanks for your help.
Internet security describes security for activities and transactions made over the internet. The primary purpose of an internet security solution is to protect users and corporate IT assets from attacks traveling over the internet.
Internet security is a branch of computer security that encompasses the internet, browser security, website security, and network security. Internet security’s obj...
Network Security Services at ACE Managed Securty Services
Feb 24, 2023
Internet security has been a challenge since the dawn of the digital age. There have been many solutions to these problems, but sometimes the solutions may be harder than the original problem! Managed Security Services is one such solution that thankfully makes life much easier for those trying to keep their data safe. Managed Security provides various tools and services that help organizations keep their data secure. Managed Security focuses on preventive measures to prevent the most common cyber-attacks, such as malware and phishing attacks. It also provides advanced-level security protocols like encryption and authentication, which provide an extra layer of protection against malicious attackers.
PeerSpot’s popular crowdsourced user review platform helps technology decision-makers worldwide to better collaborate with peers and other independent technical experts to provide advice, share knowledge and expertise without vendor bias.Our users have ranked numerous popular solutions according to their valuable features, and have also made suggestions on where they see room for improvement. Y...
On Saturday, May 8, 2021, major media outlets reported that Colonial Pipeline, whose fuel pipeline network supplies gasoline, jet fuel, and other petroleum necessities to over 50 million Americans, had suffered a ransomware attack and shut down its pipeline as a precaution. The disruption in supply sent gasoline prices rising over the weekend, with financial markets on edge in anticipation of e...
CEO at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
May 11, 2021
These attacks are inevitable and organizations need to plan for fast and secure recovery. It's no longer necessary to take days or weeks to reimage hundreds or endpoints. Solutions are available that can restore systems to pre-attack condition in minutes.
Network Security Services at ACE Managed Securty Services
Feb 24, 2023
The recent Ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline serves as a stark reminder of the potential disruption cybercrime can cause to our critical infrastructure. While no one could have predicted this specific incident, organizations should take steps now to help prevent similar catastrophes in the future. By increasing cybersecurity awareness and adopting robust security measures, organizations of all sizes can help prevent the next cybercrime disruption of critical infrastructure. Let's all work together to protect ourselves and our networks from the havoc that could be caused by malicious actors!
It's time to get serious about cybersecurity. With the right measures in place, we can all do our part to prevent the next cybercrime disruption from wreaking havoc on our critical infrastructure and society as a whole. Let's make sure that no one else has to experience the same disruption Colonial Pipeline faced!
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.
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.
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.