We are ditching our physical VPN hardware. Who offers a software-defined perimeter (Zero Trust) solution?
Data as of Sep 21, 2026 · Based on 287 AI responses from ChatGPT Search and Google AI Mode · See how Parse measures this
Data as of Sep 21, 2026 · Based on 287 AI responses from ChatGPT Search and Google AI Mode · See how Parse measures this
To replace physical VPN hardware, organizations largely shift to cloud-based Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solutions. 
Brands AI recommends here
Named in 69% of answers
Best for mid-market IT teams prioritizing fast deployment and ease of use. It replaces physical VPNs with a modern, segment-based model. It is less comprehensive than full SASE platforms but excels in setup speed and direct application access.
Named in 47% of answers
Ideal for global enterprises replacing legacy hardware with a cloud-native platform. It directly connects users to specific applications, reducing risk. A primary caveat is that it is a large-scale suite rather than a lightweight tool.
Named in 47% of answers
Named in 39% of answers
Source | Citation share |
|---|---|
 7 Best Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) Solutions for 2025https://www.comparitech.com/net-admin/software-defined-perimeter-software/ | 3% |
 Software-Defined Perimeters: The Zero-Trust VPN Alternative | Proofpoint UShttps://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/zero-trust-network-access/software-defined-perimeters-zero-trust-vpn-alternative | 2% |
 Top 10 Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) Solutions for Secure Accesshttps://www.cloudnuro.ai/blog/top-10-software-defined-perimeter-sdp-solutions-for-secure-access | 2% |
 Best Zero Trust Security Solutions | eSecurity Planethttps://www.esecurityplanet.com/products/zero-trust-security-solutions/ | 2% |
 The End of the Tunnel Vision: Why Companies Are Ditching VPNs for Zero Trust - Cyber Defense Magazinehttps://www.cyberdefensemagazine.com/the-end-of-the-tunnel-vision-why-companies-are-ditching-vpns-for-zero-trust/ | 2% |
 Top 8 Zero Trust Vendors & Providers in 2025https://www.rippling.com/blog/zero-trust-vendors | 2% |
 Best Software Defined Perimeter Solutions for Modern Networks - UMA Technologyhttps://umatechnology.org/best-software-defined-perimeter-solutions-for-modern-networks/ | 2% |
Why It's Time to Move off VPN to SDP | Twingatehttps://www.twingate.com/blog/sdp-vs-vpn | 2% |
 Zero Trust VPN Alternatives: Why Traditional VPNs Fall Short | Portnoxhttps://www.portnox.com/blog/network-security/zero-trust-vpn-alternatives-why-traditional-vpns-fall-short/ | 2% |
 NetMotion Software - Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetMotion_Software | 1% |
Yes. What you’re describing is generally sold as **Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)**, often as part of a broader **SSE/SASE** platform. Instead of putting a remote user on your network through a VPN concentrator, it authenticates the user/device and gives access only to the specific application or resource they’re…
Yes. What you’re describing is generally sold as Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), often as part of a broader SSE/SASE platform. Instead of putting a remote user on your network through a VPN concentrator, it authenticates the user/device and gives access only to the specific application or resource they’re authorized to use.
Some major options:
| Vendor | Product | Typical fit |
|---|---|---|
| Zscaler | Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) | Enterprise VPN replacement; strong app-level segmentation |
| Cloudflare | Cloudflare Access / Cloudflare One | ZTNA plus networking, SWG and other edge services |
| Palo Alto Networks | Prisma Access | ZTNA combined with a broader SASE/security stack |
| Twingate | Twingate ZTNA | Straightforward VPN replacement, particularly attractive for smaller/mid-size environments |
| Netskope | Netskope Private Access | ZTNA integrated with SSE, CASB and DLP |
| Cisco | Secure Access | ZTNA/SSE integrated into Cisco's security ecosystem |
| Microsoft | Entra Private Access | ZTNA leveraging Entra ID, with particular appeal if you're already Microsoft-centric |
Zscaler explicitly positions ZPA as a VPN replacement, creating one-to-one connections between users and applications rather than giving users network-level access. Zscaler Zscaler Cloudflare similarly offers Access specifically to replace legacy VPNs, including access to non-web resources such as SSH, RDP and arbitrary TCP/UDP applications. Cloudflare Cloudflare Prisma Access combines ZTNA with SWG, CASB and cloud-delivered firewall capabilities. Palo Alto Networks Twingate takes a more focused approach around resource-level network access without exposing resources to the public Internet.
If your goal is specifically "get rid of the physical VPN appliance", I'd investigate these architectures first:
The key architectural question isn't really which VPN appliance replaces our VPN appliance? It's whether your users actually need network access at all. For many applications, the desired model is:
User → Identity/device verification → specific application
rather than:
User → VPN → corporate network → application
That distinction is the main security benefit of ZTNA.
If you tell me roughly number of users, on-prem vs. cloud workloads, whether you use Microsoft/Okta, and whether you need access to things like RDP/SSH/VoIP, I can give you a practical shortlist and architecture comparison.
Ditching physical VPN hardware is a massive relief for your IT and security teams—no more messy concentrator upgrades, scaling bottlenecks, or backhauling all traffic through a single corporate choke point. Moving to a Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) or Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) model means connecting users…
Ditching physical VPN hardware is a massive relief for your IT and security teams—no more messy concentrator upgrades, scaling bottlenecks, or backhauling all traffic through a single corporate choke point.
Moving to a Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) or Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) model means connecting users directly to the specific applications they need rather than dropping them onto the corporate network.
The market has split into a few distinct tiers depending on your organization’s size, complexity, and existing stack:
To help narrow down which vendor fits best, tell me:
Ditching physical VPN hardware for a Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) or Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) puts you in a great spot to modernize. The market splits roughly into cloud-native security giants, agile developer-focused platforms, and legacy network vendors pivoting to software. The major players offering…
Ditching physical VPN hardware for a Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) or Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) puts you in a great spot to modernize. The market splits roughly into cloud-native security giants, agile developer-focused platforms, and legacy network vendors pivoting to software.
The major players offering robust ZTNA/SDP solutions to replace legacy hardware VPNs are categorized below:
To help narrow down which vendor fits your environment, tell me:
Duo
duo.com
Okta
okta.com
Yes. If the goal is to **replace physical VPN concentrators with software/cloud-delivered Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)**, there are several established options. Vendor | Product | General fit --- | --- | ---
Yes. If the goal is to replace physical VPN concentrators with software/cloud-delivered Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), there are several established options.
| Vendor | Product | General fit |
|---|---|---|
| Zscaler | Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) | Dedicated ZTNA/VPN replacement; strong enterprise/SSE focus |
| Cloudflare | Cloudflare Access / Cloudflare One | ZTNA plus broader SASE/network services; particularly attractive if you want to eliminate appliances |
| Netskope | Netskope One / Private Access | ZTNA integrated with SWG, CASB, DLP and broader SASE |
| Palo Alto Networks | Prisma Access | ZTNA/SASE combined with Palo Alto security capabilities |
| Cato Networks | Cato SASE Cloud / Universal ZTNA | Cloud-native networking + security, useful if you're replacing both VPN and WAN/security appliances |
| Twingate | Twingate ZTNA | More focused, comparatively lightweight VPN replacement for private-resource access |
| Microsoft | Entra Private Access | Particularly relevant if you're already heavily invested in Microsoft Entra/Intune/Defender |
The architectural distinction is important: ZTNA isn't simply a VPN moved into the cloud. Traditional VPNs generally put an authenticated user onto a network; ZTNA can authorize access to a particular application/resource based on identity, device posture, context, and policy. Zscaler explicitly describes ZTNA as using software-defined-perimeter principles, while Cloudflare describes its Access product as identity- and context-based access to individual resources.
If you tell me (1) number of users, (2) on-prem vs cloud workloads, (3) whether you need site-to-site connectivity, and (4) your IdP—Entra, Okta, Google, etc., I can narrow this to 3–4 architectures and explain what replacing your physical VPN would actually look like.
Yes. The main software-defined perimeter / ZTNA vendors worth shortlisting are: - **Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)** — strong enterprise VPN replacement and mature ZTNA/SSE. [CIOPages](https://www.ciopages.com/buyer-guides/zero-trust-network-access?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - **Cloudflare Zero Trust / Access** —…
Yes. The main software-defined perimeter / ZTNA vendors worth shortlisting are:
For replacing physical VPN appliances specifically, I'd initially compare Zscaler ZPA, Cloudflare, Twingate, and Appgate.
Ditching legacy hardware VPNs for a Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) / Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) model is one of the most effective ways to shrink your attack surface and stop lateral movement.[](https://www.portnox.com/cybersecurity-101/zero-trust/who-are-the-best-ztna-providers/)…
Ditching legacy hardware VPNs for a Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) / Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) model is one of the most effective ways to shrink your attack surface and stop lateral movement.
The market is generally split between pure-play ZTNA/SDP specialists (fast to deploy, lightweight) and ** comprehensive SASE/SSE platforms** (heavy-duty enterprise routing, web filtering, and security built-in).
Top software-defined Zero Trust providers are organized below by their primary strengths:
If you want to narrow this down, tell me:
**Replacing physical VPN hardware with a Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) or Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solution is handled by major cloud security, SASE (Secure Access Service Edge), and identity providers** **.** [](https://petronellatech.com/blog/zero-trust-vendors-compared-top-10-smbs-2026/)…
Replacing physical VPN hardware with a Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) or Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solution is handled by major cloud security, SASE (Secure Access Service Edge), and identity providers .
Transitioning away from hardware concentrators means moving to a cloud-delivered model where access is granted per-application based on identity and device posture rather than trusting an entire network segment.
| Vendor / Platform | Core Strengths | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare Zero Trust | Fast global edge network, easy deployment, robust DNS filtering and browser isolation. | Organizations wanting fast cloud-native rollout without complex client configuration. |
| Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) | Market leader in massive scale, user-to-app micro-segmentation without putting users on the network. | Enterprise environments needing deep scale and granular least-privilege enforcement. |
| Palo Alto Prisma Access | Comprehensive SASE framework combining advanced threat prevention and firewall-grade inspection. | Companies already using Palo Alto infrastructure looking for a unified SSE/SDP path. |
| Cato SASE Platform | Single-vendor converged cloud network (SD-WAN) and security architecture. | Mid-to-large businesses replacing MPLS and legacy VPNs simultaneously. |
| Microsoft Entra / Global Secure Access | Deep integration with existing Microsoft identity ecosystems, conditional access, and device compliance. | Organizations heavily standardized on the Microsoft 365 / Entra ID stack. |
If you share your current identity provider (e.g., Microsoft Entra ID, Okta) and whether your resources are primarily in the cloud or on-premises , I can help narrow down which vendor integrates smoothest with your stack.
Okta
okta.com
Yes. What you’re looking for is generally sold as **ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access)** or **SASE/SSE**, and it can replace the traditional “VPN concentrator + network access” model with identity- and device-aware, application-level access. ### Vendors worth evaluating Vendor | Product | Best fit
Yes. What you’re looking for is generally sold as ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) or SASE/SSE, and it can replace the traditional “VPN concentrator + network access” model with identity- and device-aware, application-level access.
| Vendor | Product | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Zscaler | Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) | Large enterprises; mature VPN replacement and segmentation |
| Cloudflare | Cloudflare Access / One | Fast deployment, global workforce, apps + infrastructure |
| Twingate | Twingate ZTNA | Straightforward VPN replacement with a software-defined perimeter |
| Palo Alto Networks | Prisma Access | Organizations already using Palo Alto security infrastructure |
| Netskope | Netskope One Private Access | Data-centric security, DLP/CASB + ZTNA |
| Cisco | Cisco Secure Access | Cisco-heavy environments |
| Cato Networks | Cato SASE Cloud | Wanting ZTNA + SD-WAN + security in one cloud service |
| Microsoft | Microsoft Entra Private Access | Microsoft/Entra-centric organizations |
| OpenVPN | CloudConnexa | Easier transition from conventional VPN architecture |
| NetFoundry | NetFoundry | More programmable/application-to-application zero-trust networking |
Current industry comparisons put Zscaler, Netskope, Palo Alto, Cisco, Cloudflare and Cato among the major enterprise ZTNA/SASE choices, while Twingate is particularly positioned as a straightforward VPN replacement.
I'd narrow the initial shortlist to Zscaler ZPA, Cloudflare Access, Twingate, and Prisma Access.
The architectural difference is important: instead of giving a remote employee a route onto the corporate network, these systems authenticate the user + device + context and grant access to specific applications/resources. That substantially reduces the blast radius and lateral movement associated with traditional VPNs.
My quick take:
If you tell me roughly user count, on-prem vs. cloud, identity provider (Entra/Okta/etc.), and whether you need access to legacy TCP/UDP applications, I can give you a much tighter 3-vendor shortlist and migration architecture.
Current industry comparisons put Zscaler, Netskope, Palo Alto, Cisco, Cloudflare and Cato among the major enterprise ZTNA/SASE choices, while Twingate is particularly positioned as a straightforward VPN replacement.
I'd narrow the initial shortlist to Zscaler ZPA, Cloudflare Access, Twingate, and Prisma Access.
Ditching physical VPN hardware for a software-defined perimeter (SDP) or Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) puts you right in the middle of a massive shift toward cloud-native security. Instead of backhauling traffic through a physical box in a datacenter, these solutions connect users directly and securely to specific…
Ditching physical VPN hardware for a software-defined perimeter (SDP) or Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) puts you right in the middle of a massive shift toward cloud-native security. Instead of backhauling traffic through a physical box in a datacenter, these solutions connect users directly and securely to specific applications based on identity and device posture.
The top enterprise-grade and mid-market players offering software-defined perimeter/Zero Trust solutions span a few clear categories:
If you can share:
I can help narrow down which vendor fits your architecture and budget best.
If you are replacing physical VPN concentrators, you are generally looking for **Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)** or **Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP)** platforms. These replace “connect to the network, then authenticate” with “authenticate the user/device, then broker access only to the specific application or…
If you are replacing physical VPN concentrators, you are generally looking for Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) or Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) platforms. These replace “connect to the network, then authenticate” with “authenticate the user/device, then broker access only to the specific application or resource.”
Here are the major vendors to evaluate:
| Vendor | Product | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Zscaler | Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) | Large enterprises wanting a dedicated cloud ZTNA/SSE platform; strong application-level segmentation. Zscaler |
| Palo Alto Networks | Prisma Access / ZTNA | Organizations already using Palo Alto firewalls and wanting integrated SASE security. Network World |
| Cloudflare | Cloudflare Zero Trust Access | Internet-scale edge approach; often attractive for SaaS-heavy environments and distributed teams. Expert Insights |
| Netskope | Netskope One Private Access | Security teams prioritizing data protection, CASB, DLP, and SSE integration. CIOPages |
| Cisco Systems | Cisco Secure Access / Duo-based ZTNA capabilities | Enterprises invested in Cisco networking and identity tooling. Network World |
| Microsoft | Microsoft Entra Private Access | Microsoft 365 / Entra ID environments wanting identity-centric access controls. Expert Insights |
| Twingate | Twingate | Smaller IT teams wanting a simpler VPN replacement with SDP-style architecture. Expert Insights |
| Appgate | Appgate SDP | Organizations wanting a purpose-built software-defined perimeter, including complex environments. Network World |
| Cato Networks | Cato SASE Cloud | Companies looking to replace VPN plus branch networking with a unified SASE platform. G2 |
| Broadcom | Symantec ZTNA | Enterprises already using Broadcom/Symantec security products. Broadcom |
A few questions usually determine the right fit:
Do you want only VPN replacement, or a broader SASE platform?
VPN replacement only: Twingate, Appgate, Zscaler ZPA, Cloudflare Access.
Broader security stack: Palo Alto, Netskope, Cato, Zscaler.
Are most apps SaaS/cloud, or are you protecting internal apps?
Internal apps, servers, RDP/SSH, private services: prioritize ZTNA products with connectors/gateways.
Mostly SaaS: identity-aware access brokers may be enough.
Are you heavily invested in a security ecosystem already?
Microsoft shops often evaluate Entra Private Access.
Cisco shops often evaluate Cisco/Duo.
Palo Alto shops often evaluate Prisma Access.
Zscaler/Netskope customers often move toward full SSE.
Do you have contractors, BYOD, or unmanaged devices?
Look closely at device posture checks, browser-based access, and agentless options.
A typical enterprise migration pattern is:
If you share your environment (number of users, cloud/on-prem mix, Microsoft/Cisco/Palo Alto stack, remote workforce size, and whether you need site-to-site connectivity), I can help narrow this to a realistic shortlist.
