Replace VPN With Zero Trust Access That Works for the Modern Workforce
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) replaces traditional VPN with identity-verified, least-privilege access to specific applications — eliminating the broad network access that VPN grants and ensuring every connection is authenticated, authorized, and inspected regardless of location.
What RLM Delivers on Zero Trust Network Access
VPN was designed for occasional remote access, not for a workforce that is always remote. ZTNA provides the access model that matches how people actually work today — but implementation requires careful identity integration, application inventory, and a phased migration that doesn't disrupt productivity.
How We Approach Zero Trust Network Access
Our network advisory runs from discovery and market evaluation through vendor selection and post-deployment optimization — scoped to the Zero Trust Network Access decision in front of you.
VPN Architecture Assessment
We document your existing VPN infrastructure — user populations, application access requirements, network segmentation, and the security gaps that ZTNA is intended to address.
ZTNA Platform Evaluation
We evaluate ZTNA platforms — Zscaler Private Access, Palo Alto Prisma Access ZTNA, Cloudflare Access, CrowdStrike Falcon Identity, and others — against your application portfolio, identity provider integration, and deployment model requirements.
Application Discovery & Access Mapping
ZTNA requires comprehensive knowledge of every private application users access. We conduct application discovery and map access requirements — identifying which applications are ZTNA candidates and which require alternative access approaches.
Phased Migration Planning
ZTNA migration typically spans 6-18 months. We design the phased approach — starting with high-risk user populations or most-targeted applications — that provides early security improvement while managing migration complexity.
Zero Trust Network Access Evaluation Criteria
The questions below are the ones that decide whether a Zero Trust Network Access investment pays back — and the ones vendors are least eager to answer.
Identity Provider Integration
ZTNA policies are driven by identity. Evaluate the depth of integration with your IdP — user groups, device posture, location context, and the conditional access policies that govern application access.
Device Posture Assessment
ZTNA can enforce device health requirements before granting access. Evaluate posture check capabilities — patch level, AV status, disk encryption, certificate presence — and the enforcement mechanism for non-compliant devices.
Legacy Application Compatibility
Not all applications support modern authentication or work with ZTNA connector architectures. Evaluate the compatibility of your specific applications — particularly legacy web apps and client/server applications — before committing to a platform.
Connector Deployment Model
ZTNA requires connectors deployed in environments hosting private applications. Evaluate the connector deployment model, required network connectivity, and the operational overhead of managing connectors across your infrastructure.
User Experience
ZTNA must be as transparent as VPN to be adopted. Evaluate the end-user experience — application launch workflows, reconnection behavior, and the impact on users who work across multiple applications simultaneously.
Hybrid Application Architecture
Many enterprises have a mix of cloud-hosted and on-premises applications. Evaluate how the ZTNA platform handles both environments — particularly the routing and inspection architecture for hybrid application footprints.
"RLM gave us an objective view of our network options that no single vendor could. We replaced aging MPLS across 40 locations and came in 28% under our original budget."
We stay involved through implementation, because selection is the easy half.
Where This Matters Most
Sector-specific considerations we see repeatedly in advanced networking engagements.
A Sample of the Advanced Networking Providers We Evaluate
RLM is vendor neutral. These are among 600+ providers in our evaluation set — inclusion here is not an endorsement, and we are paid by the provider you choose, not by any provider in particular. How that works →
Ready to Move on Zero Trust Network Access?
Start with a no-cost conversation with an RLM network advisor — vendor neutral, no agenda, just clarity on the right path forward for your environment.
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