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Network Security · Advanced

Microsegmentation

Granular workload-to-workload network isolation.

8 options listedTypical cost: $50-$150/workload/yrPROTECT (PR)

Microsegmentation enforces least-privilege traffic policy between workloads, containers, and VMs to contain breaches. It maps dependencies and blocks unauthorized east-west flows in data center and cloud. Licensed per workload or protected node. Policy modeling is the main operational effort.

Advanced blast-radius containment after basic segmentation is in place.

  • Illumio strong visualization and host-based enforcement
  • contains breach blast radius
  • covers data center and cloud.
  • Heavy dependency-mapping and policy effort
  • agent overhead
  • over-restrictive policy can disrupt apps
  • pricey at workload scale.

For cloud-native/Kubernetes estates, eBPF tools give strong open-source microsegmentation — Cilium (identity-aware L3–L7 policy), plus Calico and native NetworkPolicy. There is no mature OSS option for agent-based segmentation of legacy VM/bare-metal fleets, where commercial tools (Illumio, Guardicore) lead.

IllumioCommercial

Host-based microsegmentation with dependency mapping.

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Akamai GuardicoreCommercial

Host-based microsegmentation (ex-Guardicore).

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VMware NSXCommercial

Network virtualization + microsegmentation.

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Cisco Secure WorkloadCommercial

Cisco's security line (firewall, workload, email, etc.).

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ZscalerCommercial

SSE/SASE pioneer (ZIA/ZPA); large global cloud footprint.

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CiliumOpen source

eBPF identity-aware network policy and observability for Kubernetes.

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CalicoOpen source

The most widely adopted Kubernetes CNI with identity-based network policy — the non-Cilium OSS microsegmentation path this area's ossVerdict note already references.

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Zero NetworksCommercial

Automated, identity-driven microsegmentation — agentless policy generation via ML from observed traffic.

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Microsegmentation — Cybersecurity Landscape Atlas — CMDash