Cloud Security Overhaul: Is Zscaler the Right Move for Your IT Company?

An analysis of Zscaler's cloud security platform (ZIA, ZPA, ZDX) for large IT companies, covering its Zero Trust model, deployment, cost, and real-world use cases.

Posted Apr 26, 2025

By Sudhir Dubey

8 min read

Cloud Security Overhaul: Is Zscaler the Right Move for Your IT Company?

Hey Tech Leaders and Security Pros!

Let’s talk about something that’s probably kept a few of you up at night: securing your massive, distributed workforce in today’s cloud-first world. If you’re in an Indian IT powerhouse, you know the drill – thousands of employees, many working remotely, juggling countless SaaS apps (Hello, M365!), handling sensitive client data, and constantly battling sophisticated cyber threats. The old ways of VPNs and data center firewalls? They’re starting to creak under the strain, right?

You’ve likely heard the name Zscaler buzzing around. But what is it really, and does it actually make sense for the unique scale and demands of Indian IT giants? Let’s break it down, ditch the jargon, and get real about what deploying Zscaler looks like on the ground here in India.

Why Even Bother? The Indian IT Security Headache

Think about your current reality:

Workforce Everywhere: Remember when everyone was in the office? Yeah, me neither. Securing remote and hybrid teams consistently is tough. VPNs often become bottlenecks.
Cloud is King: Your teams live in AWS, Azure, GCP, Salesforce, etc. Backhauling that traffic through your data center? Slow, expensive, and frustrating for users.
Global Clients, Global Rules: GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS… your clients demand top-notch security and compliance. Can your current setup prove it easily?
Target on Your Back: Let’s face it, Indian IT handles valuable IP and data, making you a juicy target for cybercriminals.
Need for Speed (and Scale): Projects spin up, teams expand – your security needs to keep pace without massive hardware rollouts.

If any of this sounds familiar, you’re exactly why solutions like Zscaler exist.

So, What’s Zscaler’s “Secret Sauce”?

Imagine ditching the old castle-and-moat security model. Zscaler is built entirely in the cloud. Think of it less like a wall around your data center and more like an intelligent, global security switchboard.

Instead of users connecting to the network (like with VPNs), Zscaler connects authenticated users directly and securely to the application or website they need, whether it’s on the internet or internal. This is the core of Zero Trust – don’t trust anyone by default, verify everything.

Their main power players are:

Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA): Your cloud-based security guard for all internet traffic. It inspects everything (even encrypted stuff!), filters malicious sites, stops threats, prevents data leaks (DLP), and ensures compliance – all before traffic even hits the internet or your network. It’s your Secure Web Gateway, Firewall, CASB, and more, all rolled into one cloud service.
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA): The VPN killer. This connects your users securely only to the specific internal apps they’re authorized for (in your data center or private cloud), not the whole network. Huge security win – no more lateral movement for attackers!
Zscaler Digital Experience (ZDX): Ever had remote users complain “the internet is slow” or “the app isn’t working”? ZDX is your troubleshooting superhero. It monitors performance from the user’s laptop, across their network, all the way to the app, pinpointing exactly where the bottleneck is. Priceless for hybrid workforces.

The Deployment Journey: What to Expect (No Sugar-Coating)

Rolling out Zscaler in a large Indian IT setup isn’t a flip-the-switch affair. It’s a journey, typically broken down like this:

Planning is EVERYTHING: Get your stakeholders together. Map out your users, locations (India offices, global centers, remote folks), critical apps (SaaS & internal), and existing security policies. Decide how you’ll get traffic to Zscaler (Hint: The Zscaler Client Connector (ZCC) agent on laptops/mobiles is king for remote users; tunnels might work for main offices). Figure out how it plugs into your ID system (like Azure AD). Pick a pilot group!
Setting Up Shop (in the Cloud): Configure your policies in the Zscaler admin portal. Connect your identity provider. Get the ZCC software ready to deploy. If you’re using ZPA, deploy lightweight “App Connectors” near your internal apps.
Pilot & Test Drive: Roll out ZCC to your pilot group. Test everything – web access, internal app access (goodbye VPN!), policy enforcement, and user experience. Get feedback! Some apps might need tweaking, especially with SSL inspection (it’s powerful but can break things if not handled right).
The Big Rollout (Phased!): Don’t boil the ocean! Roll out Zscaler location by location, or department by department. Communication and training are KEY! People need to know what’s changing and why the ZCC icon is now on their machine. Monitor performance closely using Zscaler’s dashboards and ZDX.
Victory Lap & Fine-Tuning: Once things are stable, start decommissioning those old VPNs and maybe even simplify your on-prem firewall rules. Keep monitoring, keep refining policies, and keep your users happy.

Okay, How Much Does This Cost? (The Big Question)

Let’s be upfront: Zscaler isn’t typically priced like hardware boxes. It’s a subscription, usually per user, per year.

User Count is Key: The more users, the lower the per-user cost (volume discounts are definitely a thing for large Indian IT firms).
Bundles & Add-ons: They offer different tiers (like “Business” or “Transformation”) with different features. Advanced stuff like Sandbox, full DLP, or ZDX might be in higher bundles or as add-ons.
Multi-Year Deals: Committing to 3 years usually gets you better pricing than just 1 year.
No Public Price List: You won’t find a simple price tag online. You’ll need to talk to Zscaler or their partners in India to get a custom quote based on your specific user count, required features, and contract length. Negotiation is part of the game.

The Payoff: Why Indian IT Companies Are Making the Switch

We’ve seen many large Indian IT orgs adopt Zscaler. Here’s what they often rave about:

Security Level Up: Consistent protection everywhere, drastically reduced attack surface, stopping lateral movement cold with ZPA. HUGE win.
Happier Users: Faster access to cloud apps = more productive employees. No more VPN connection woes or sluggish performance from backhauling.
Simpler Operations: One cloud portal to manage global security policies. Less hardware to manage, patch, and replace.
Potential Cost Savings (TCO): Yes, really! Factor in reduced MPLS costs, consolidating multiple security tools, and lower operational effort. It often adds up.
Compliance Confidence: Granular logs make audits easier. DLP features help protect sensitive client and internal data (important for DPDP Act 2023!).
Scales Like a Dream: Onboarding thousands of new hires? No problem – just add licenses.

But Keep Your Eyes Open: Potential Hurdles

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Be prepared for:

Upfront Cost: The subscription can look hefty initially, so focus on the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) argument.
Implementation Effort: It takes planning and expertise (either in-house or via a good partner). Don’t underestimate this.
Change Management: Users need to be brought along. Explaining the “why” is crucial.
App Compatibility: That powerful SSL inspection can break poorly coded or finicky apps. Test thoroughly!
Good Partner is Key: Choose an implementation partner in India who really knows Zscaler.

The India Angle

Zscaler gets the Indian market. They have local data centers (ZENs) in Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, etc., ensuring good performance. Their features also align well with evolving regulations like India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act 2023.

Real-World Deployments in India

Curious about how Indian giants are actually rolling out Zscaler? Here are some live examples:

Wipro

Deployed ZIA and ZPA to secure over 190,000 employees during the pandemic shift to remote work.
Integrated Zscaler with Azure Active Directory and Okta.
Result? Faster, safer access and a major reduction in VPN headaches.

Infosys

Rolled out ZPA to securely connect remote employees to internal systems.
Boosted threat protection using ZIA.
Met global compliance standards like GDPR and CCPA.

Persistent Systems

Enabled secure browsing for its developer teams with ZIA.
Used ZDX for real-time performance monitoring.
Integrated Zscaler with Microsoft Azure AD and ServiceNow.

Beyond the Giants

Mid-size IT firms and even startups in India are adopting Zscaler too, often via Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs).

The Bottom Line

For large, cloud-savvy Indian IT companies wrestling with securing a modern, distributed workforce, Zscaler offers a powerful, scalable, and effective cloud-native security platform. It directly tackles the limitations of legacy approaches.

Is it the right move for you? It demands careful planning, investment, and getting your people on board. But the benefits in security posture, user experience, and operational efficiency are compelling.

Good luck navigating the future of security!

Useful Resources

Security, Connectivity

Network Security Solutions

This post is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by the author.