My primary use case for Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is VPN replacement and zero trust access. I use Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) to give authorized users policy-based one-to-one connectivity to specific internal applications in our data center or cloud environments. I also use Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) to secure our hybrid cloud environment. For instance, when a developer needs to access a private staging server used in AWS, they connect directly through the closest Zscaler service edge. This makes the application invisible to the private internet, ensuring only the specialist can reach it.
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)
Zscaler, Inc.External reviews
141 reviews
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External reviews are not included in the AWS star rating for the product.
Secure and Seamless Access with Cloud-Native Advantages
What do you like best about the product?
I really appreciate Zscaler Private Access for its ability to remove lateral movement, which helps me use my apps smoothly. Additionally, its cloud-native approach offers a superior user experience, and I found the initial setup to be very easy.
What do you dislike about the product?
Nothing at all
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Zscaler Private Access resolves network security problems and removes lateral movement, allowing me smooth access to applications with a secure, cloud-native approach that enhances user experience.
Reliable and Efficient Remote Access with Minor Connection Hiccups
What do you like best about the product?
I like that Zscaler Private Access has had zero downtime so far and is fast and stable. It's safe and reliable, as it bans unauthorized access to important applications. The transition managed by the IT team was seamless and didn't take much time.
What do you dislike about the product?
When there is a change of network, the Zscaler Private Access application keeps on connecting and disconnecting, which is quite a nuisance during work. Seamless connection even after a change of network or longer sessions per user should be deployed. Further, there should be an option to mute the constant notifications.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
I use Zscaler Private Access to connect to my office network remotely. It securely connects me to required applications without unauthorized access. The traditional system was quite old and created bottlenecks including the slow response and failure during high traffic. The traditional system was quite old and created bottlenecks including the slow response and failure during high traffic.
Zero trust access has secured hybrid work and now provides seamless app connectivity
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) has significantly reduced our attack surface by making our internal apps invisible to the internet. It effectively eliminates lateral movement as users are only connected to the specific application they are authorized to use rather than the entire network segment.
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is highly stable. The architecture uses a global mesh of service edges with built-in fault tolerance and redundancy, providing an always-on experience that is far more reliable than our old hardware-based VPN concentrator.
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is elastically scalable because it is a software-defined perimeter and not an appliance-based solution. I can instantly scale to support thousands of additional users without needing to upgrade any physical hardware.
What is most valuable?
The best features are the AI-powered app segmentation that automatically discovers our applications. This saves a massive amount of manual configuration time and helps me build granular access policies much faster.
The app segmentation feature helps my team improve employee experience while giving our IT team peace of mind. It is truly a productivity tool that removes the clunkiness of a VPN. The initial discovery of legacy applications during setup can sometimes take more time to fine-tune, which is the only minor limitation.
What needs improvement?
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) could be improved by making troubleshooting for specific mobile devices such as iPhones more intuitive, as identifying the root cause for mobile connectivity issues can sometimes be complex. The major improvement opportunity I would highlight is the troubleshooting functionality for mobile devices.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) for about three years to provide our distributed workforce with secure, seamless access to our internal applications.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is highly stable. The architecture uses a global mesh of service edges with built-in fault tolerance and redundancy, providing an always-on experience that is far more reliable than our old hardware-based VPN concentrator.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is elastically scalable because it is a software-defined perimeter and not an appliance-based solution. I can instantly scale to support thousands of additional users without needing to upgrade any physical hardware.
How are customer service and support?
The customer support team is very knowledgeable about the ZTNA architecture and Zscaler Trust Portal provides excellent transparency into the health of the global cloud infrastructure.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used a traditional legacy VPN. I switched because the VPN was too slow and hard to manage at scale, and it created a major security risk by putting users directly on the network.
How was the initial setup?
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is an incredible enabler for modern hybrid work. The initial discovery of legacy applications during setup can sometimes take more time to fine-tune.
What was our ROI?
I have seen a significant return on investment since implementing Zscaler Private Access (ZPA). The ROI is often cited around 289% over the three years of typical enterprises. The key metrics include a 55% reduction in security breach risk and roughly 1.75 million in annual savings on infrastructure and legacy VPN licensing costs.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is priced on a per-user, per-year basis. While it is a premium investment, the short payback period of about 11 months and consolidation of multiple point products make it very cost-effective in the long run.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
What other advice do I have?
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is a cloud-native service hosted on Zscaler's global cloud platform, which has over 150 points of presence. I use lightweight app connectors hosted in our own private data centers and public cloud like AWS or Azure to create secure inside-out connections to our applications. I use majorly the AWS one.
I purchased Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) through the AWS Marketplace, which allows me to simplify procurement, consolidate billing, and apply my Zscaler spend towards existing cloud commitments.
I would advise those looking into Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) to use the AI-powered app segmentation to automatically discover your applications. This feature saves a massive amount of manual configuration time and helps build granular access policies much faster.
My company relies on Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)'s cloud-native architecture to protect our private applications and sensitive data.
I give Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) a rating of 9 out of 10.
Zero Trust Security Makes Remote Work Effortless
What do you like best about the product?
Zero Trust Security enforces least-privilege access and Seamless, VPN-Free Access without the complexity of a traditional VPN. Those make remote work much smoother.
What do you dislike about the product?
Limited Offline Functionality: the application is only designed for online access, so users may encounter issues if temporarily offline or with unstable internet.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Zscaler Private Access solves the challenges of traditional VPNs, such as slow performance, complex management, and broad network exposure. By providing secure, application-level access instead of full network access, it significantly reduces security risks and prevents lateral movement.
It benefits me by enabling reliable, VPN-free access to internal applications from anywhere, improving user experience and productivity. The Zero Trust model and integration with SSO also simplify access management, strengthen security, and make onboarding and offboarding much more efficient.
It benefits me by enabling reliable, VPN-free access to internal applications from anywhere, improving user experience and productivity. The Zero Trust model and integration with SSO also simplify access management, strengthen security, and make onboarding and offboarding much more efficient.
Zero trust access has transformed remote work and now secures every internal application session
What is our primary use case?
My primary use case for Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is securing application-level access to internal applications without exposing the network to the public network. Previously, VPN gave users broad network access, which increased the risk capacity. With ZPA, we follow the Zero Trust principle, allowing users access only to the specific applications they are authorized for, and this dramatically improves security and compliance.
A strong example of how I use Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) for securing application-level access occurred during a company-wide shift to remote work, as VPN concentrators were overloaded, causing slow connections and outages. After moving critical apps to ZPA, users connected directly through the Zscaler cloud, and consistent performance significantly helped desk VPN ticket drops. Our remote employees can access applications more smoothly, even from different geographies and networks, especially considering the multiple issues faced during COVID-19. This example correlates all those issues where no one could access all those applications and the exposure over the internet was critical. At the time, there were many gaps, and through ZPA, it is easy to configure and provides easy access to all those internal applications with least privilege access.
What is most valuable?
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) offers many features, including Zero Trust Network Access, which adheres to the principle of "never trust, always verify." Additionally, it provides application-level access, allowing specification of applications that significantly reduce the risk of lateral movement and eliminate network exposure. There is also the option to create identity-based policies, and since it is a cloud-native architecture, there is no dependency on on-premise or hybrid solutions. In terms of scalability, ZPA supports multi-cloud and hybrid environments while providing a seamless user experience as users connect transparently without the need to launch or manage VPN tunnels, which is a great feature.
Instead of creating VPN accounts with broad permissions, we now grant vendors access to only one application via Zscaler Private Access (ZPA). This approach makes audits easier, improves security, and gives management confidence that external access is tightly controlled and logged without additional network complexity. This is also the best solution for our audit needs since there is no firewall needed; we use remote access solutions that require and provide least privilege access to users, which helps with risk, compliance, governance, and adheres to the Zero Trust principle.
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) positively impacts my organization through application segmentation and access policy management. On a daily basis, I review access policies, onboard new applications, and validate users based on identity and posture solutions. This method is far safer than traditional subnet-based access, aligning with the Zero Trust architecture principle.
What needs improvement?
After deploying Zscaler Private Access (ZPA), I notice a reduction in VPN-related support tickets, particularly during peak hours, and audits become smoother because access is clearly defined per application. Our incident response team reports improved visibility into user access events, making investigations faster and more accurate. While ZPA greatly improves the management process, the administrative interface could be more intuitive, particularly for troubleshooting scenarios requiring navigation across multiple dashboards and logs during real operational settings, especially in incidents. Simpler visibility into traffic flow and access decisions would significantly speed up root cause analysis.
To improve Zscaler Private Access (ZPA), we need more real-world deployment examples and technical documentation, including step-by-step guides for complex scenarios such as multi-cloud legacy app integration. These resources would help engineers implement and troubleshoot faster, especially during initial rollouts and major environmental changes.
The training costs associated with Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) are very high, and there are few resources available online. This makes understanding customer and employee needs challenging. There are many dependencies on the internet, and it is not straightforward to comprehend the entire infrastructure architecture and how ZPA operates.
I do not give a perfect ten because I notice a lot of dependencies on the TAC, along with complexity in the UI. Sometimes, fully understanding the policy workflow and troubleshooting tools require improvement, especially concerning dashboard usability and diagnostics. There are many restrictions that hinder troubleshooting without a TAC engineer.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) for around two years, having initially deployed it during a phase when remote work demand rapidly increased. Over time, ZPA became a core part of our access strategy, replacing a large part of the VPN community footprint and supporting both permanent employee and external partners' access solutions to internal applications securely.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is very stable in production, with extremely rare outages and minimal user complaints. Even during peak usage or mass remote access events, performance remains consistent, which is critical for an enterprise environment handling business-critical applications.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is one of Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)'s strongest points, allowing us to onboard hundreds of users quickly without altering infrastructure since it is cloud-based. Scaling users or applications does not require any additional hardware or complex restructuring, presenting a significant operational advantage based on subscription counts.
How are customer service and support?
The customer support for Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is good, responding quickly to tickets and engaging via Zoom sessions.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, we used traditional VPN solutions such as IPsec and SSL VPN, which provided network-level access and posed significant security risks. We switched to ZPA to embrace the Zero Trust approach, reduce the attack surface, and enhance the remote user experience without creating traffic bottlenecks through a centralized VPN gateway.
How was the initial setup?
The biggest impact on my team from Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is the overhead reduction in timing and monitoring all applications through one GUI base. It is easy to integrate, with no complex configurations required, unlike traditional VPNs, which depend on firewalls and a host of policies. In the current SaaS environment, ZPA offers a good comparison and overview, paired with excellent security and monitoring tools.
What was our ROI?
The cost associated with Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) depends entirely on the number of users and licenses purchased, and while I have not put an extensive focus on return on investment metrics, it is a good cost model.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing for Zscaler Private Access (ZPA), while it is not the cheapest solution, when you factor in the reduced VPN infrastructure, hardware maintenance, and operational overhead, the cost becomes easier to justify. The simplicity of licensing also aids in scaling the users, allowing it to be viewed more favorably as a viable solution.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We evaluated other options from Palo Alto and Fortinet, but Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) stood out due to its cloud-native design, global scalability, and true application-level access model, which aligns better with our long-term Zero Trust strategy.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to others considering Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is to invest time in application segmentation and identity integrations. ZPA yields the best results when applications are well-classified, and access policies are clearly defined. Additionally, training your operational team early will help them fully leverage the troubleshooting and monitoring capabilities available. The company also provides premium solutions on the TAC side, capable of responding within two to five minutes based on ticket severity levels.
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is a mature, enterprise-grade Zero Trust solution that delivers security and operational benefits. It is a great solution and ranks highly in Gartner reports. Recently, I have noticed some shifts in its standing on these reports and some downsides, possibly due to cost issues, so it is vital to ensure all aspects align with licensing costs. I gave this solution a rating of nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Effortless Remote Access, Minor Performance Hiccups
What do you like best about the product?
I find Zscaler Private Access incredibly easy to use, which is a big plus for me as I don't have to manually connect. It's convenient because it runs in the background, removing extra steps from my daily workflow. This helps me focus on my work instead of worrying about connection issues. I also appreciate the security it offers, and the initial setup was smooth since IT provided clear instructions, leaving me with no issues.
What do you dislike about the product?
Sometimes it feels slower than usual and it is hard to tell if it's the network or the app.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
I use Zscaler Private Access to securely and effortlessly access my company's internal systems remotely, eliminating the need for traditional VPNs. It simplifies my workflow by running in the background and focusing on my work, not on the connection.
Fast, Seamless Access with Enhanced Security
What do you like best about the product?
Users only get access to the apps they need, not the whole network.
You don’t have to connect to a slow, old-style VPN.
It sends you to the app in the quickest path, so things load faster.
You just open your app, and it works in the background.
Apps stay hidden from the internet, so attackers can’t see them.
You don’t have to connect to a slow, old-style VPN.
It sends you to the app in the quickest path, so things load faster.
You just open your app, and it works in the background.
Apps stay hidden from the internet, so attackers can’t see them.
What do you dislike about the product?
Setup can be tricky – Getting all the rules, apps, and connectors right can take time.
Troubleshooting is not always easy – When something doesn’t work, it can be hard to see why.
Cost – It can be expensive for some organizations.
Troubleshooting is not always easy – When something doesn’t work, it can be hard to see why.
Cost – It can be expensive for some organizations.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Old VPNs are slow and risky.
Users need access to apps from anywhere, safely.
Hackers can see apps if they are on the network.
Managing who can access what is hard.
Users can safely reach only the apps they need, from anywhere.
Apps stay hidden from the internet, so it’s harder for hackers to attack.
No slow VPN – work is faster and smoother.
Admins can control access easily without giving full network access.
Users need access to apps from anywhere, safely.
Hackers can see apps if they are on the network.
Managing who can access what is hard.
Users can safely reach only the apps they need, from anywhere.
Apps stay hidden from the internet, so it’s harder for hackers to attack.
No slow VPN – work is faster and smoother.
Admins can control access easily without giving full network access.
Seamless Cloud Security with Zscaler: Fast, Reliable, and Easy to Use
What do you like best about the product?
Our organisation has switched from existing VPN to Zscaler and it is really doing a great job in kind of cyber security. It is easy to install and operate one of the best fully cloud solution any one can at any corner of world can easily get this software. It has good unified solution which combines ZIA, ZPA, DLP etc. The real time telemetry is above the mark and it inlines with SSL inspection. Faster and reliable. It is easy to configure, troubleshoot and monitor.
What do you dislike about the product?
The interface or UI can be more enhanced and sometimes the reports slowdowns in SSL inspection apart from this everything is good. Sometimes it get disconnect automatically.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
We mostly use Zscaler for Private application access (ZPA) which allow our own software to run hassles free and monitoring user experience and productivity.
Enhanced Security and Seamless Experience
What do you like best about the product?
I appreciate the enhanced security that Zscaler Private Access provides by allowing no network access and eliminating the need for public IP addresses. This means users never have direct network access, and it reduces the risk of security breaches since attackers cannot see or ping the network. The feature that applications remain hidden and require no NAT makes them invisible to potential attackers, which significantly bolsters security. Furthermore, I enjoy the seamless user experience Zscaler Private Access offers as it operates quietly in the background, making the transition smooth and user-friendly without interrupting workflow.
What do you dislike about the product?
Even though Zscaler Private Access provides substantial benefits, the migration process was somewhat challenging. Some of the difficulties included mapping network-access-based systems to app-based access, identifying all internal application user accesses, and dealing with user resistance.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
I use Zscaler Private Access for secure remote access, eliminating slow, unreliable VPN. It offers no network access, no need for public IPs, and a seamless user experience, reducing security risks and keeping applications hidden from attackers.
Excellent Security Solution for Global Teams
What do you like best about the product?
Its replaced Cisco VPN and good security tool to use in everyday work in big companies who has multi country and global presence.
it also block many things
it also block many things
What do you dislike about the product?
It blocks the local computer resources which are used at home, being in office is okay but when u work at home and want to use some tool and local printer it blocks.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Its replaced Cisco VPN and good security tool to use in everyday work in big companies who has multi country and global presence.
it also blocks many things
it also blocks many things
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