Ridge IT is an authorized Zscaler managed service partner with 2,000+ deployments. We design, deploy, and manage Zscaler as the network layer of a complete Zero Trust Architecture — for mid-market enterprises, defense contractors, and government agencies.
Talk to a ProTHE PLATFORM
Inspect all internet-bound traffic inline. Block threats, enforce policy, prevent data loss — all in the cloud.
Replace VPN with zero trust app access. Segment by user, device, and context — not network.
Unified policy across internet & private access. Real-time updates without appliance restarts or maintenance windows.
An executive's child downloaded a cheat code for Fortnite on their own computer. It was laced with malware. The malware spread laterally across the home network to the parent's work laptop — the one connected to the corporate VPN. From there, it used the OpenVPN tunnel as a jump box and started breaching the company from a family home.
This is the fundamental problem with VPN architecture: it puts the user on the network, and everything on that home network comes along for the ride. ZPA solves this by connecting users to applications, never to the network — so the gaming PC, the IoT camera, and the neighbor's compromised router can't see your environment at all. That's "going dark" in practice.
PRODUCT STRATEGY
| Dimension | ZIA (Zero Trust Internet Access) | ZPA (Zero Trust Private Access) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Secure ALL internet & SaaS traffic | Secure access to internal apps & data |
| Users | All users (office, remote, branch) | Users needing internal app access |
| Deployment | DNS forwarding or PAC proxy | Client app (ZPA connector or Zscaler app) |
| Use Cases | Block malware, prevent data exfil, web filtering | Replace VPN, segment by app, contractor access |
| Deployment Time | 2–4 weeks (faster) | 3–6 weeks (app distribution) |
| Typical Timeline | Start with ZIA | Follow with ZPA for app segmentation |
Best Practice: Most organizations deploy ZIA first (internet security), then ZPA (app access). This provides threat protection immediately and app segmentation as maturity increases.
ORGANIZATIONAL SCOPE
Zscaler is architected for distributed organizations. Whether your users are in one office, three regional sites, 50 branches, or 100% remote — Zscaler inspects traffic in the cloud. No traffic backhauling. No appliances at each site. No maintenance windows.
Ridge IT has deployed Zscaler for:
WHY US
Every license we deploy is in your name. You have full admin access from day one. If we're not the right fit, you take everything with you. Our job is to earn your business every month — not hold your infrastructure hostage.
When we activated ZIA for a 5,000-attorney law firm, the first thing it caught was Lokibot — a credential harvester silently exfiltrating data to a C2 server. No one knew how long it had been running. That's inline inspection configured by people who know what to look for.
Zscaler doesn't operate in isolation. We deploy it alongside CrowdStrike on the endpoint, Okta or Entra for identity, and Azure Sentinel for SIEM — each tool feeding context to the others. Identity, access, endpoint, network, data. One chain. No gaps.
Ridge IT deployed Zscaler as the Zero Trust Internet Access layer for a major franchise hotel brand — spanning hundreds of properties globally. ZIA for web filtering, DNS protection, and DLP across POS systems and corporate networks. We apply the same architecture to defense contractors, law firms, and manufacturers.
Ridge IT deployed Zscaler within the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency — the DoD agency responsible for 1.4 million user logons and the federal government's personnel vetting missions. DCSA's Zero Trust Cloud Platform runs on Zscaler, CrowdStrike, and Okta — the exact stack we deploy commercially.
We've developed standardized tenant configurations: ZIA with DLP in alert-only mode, ZPA with app segmentation by department, SD-WAN branch templates, and compliance-mapped policy sets for CMMC, FFIEC, and PCI-DSS. Production-tested across hundreds of environments.
ZERO TRUST FOUNDATION
Zscaler is one layer in a defense-in-depth Zero Trust Architecture. Ridge IT deploys the full stack — not just one product.
Okta or Microsoft Entra verifies every user before access is granted. Conditional access policies adapt in real time.
Zscaler ZIA + ZPA inspects all traffic inline and connects users to apps — never the network. The perimeter disappears.
CrowdStrike Falcon detects threats on every device. If Zscaler is the fence, CrowdStrike is the guard inside the building.
Ridge IT's SOC watches all four layers. Full triage on every alert — not just criticals.
TRACK RECORD
Ridge IT deploys Zscaler across law firms, manufacturers, hospitality brands, defense contractors, and federal agencies. Same standardized configurations. Same crawl-walk-run methodology.
OUR APPROACH
Zero trust isn't deployed all at once. It's staged: threat protection first (crawl), then app segmentation (walk), then advanced scenarios (run). Ridge IT guides you through each phase.
Start where the exposure is greatest: all internet traffic. Deploy ZIA to block threats, enforce web filtering, and prevent data loss. Our standardized tenant configurations — refined across 2,000+ deployments — mean your Phase 1 is production-ready in half the time of a greenfield build.
Typical timeline: 2–4 weeks (accelerated with standard configs)
Deliverables: ZIA tenant configured, proxy/DNS forwarding deployed, policies baseline-tuned, threat feeds active, DLP in alert mode
Replace VPN with zero trust app access. Deploy ZPA with application segmentation by department, not network. Integrate device posture (MDM) to enforce compliance before app access is granted.
Typical timeline: 4–8 weeks (app discovery, segmentation design, connector deployment)
Deliverables: ZPA tenant configured, app inventory & segmentation model, browser isolation (optional), device posture checks active
Advanced scenarios: SSL inspection, advanced DLP (behavioral), sandbox detonation, compliance-mapped policies (CMMC, FFIEC, PCI-DSS). Transition from alert mode to block mode as confidence increases.
Typical timeline: Ongoing (continuous tuning & optimization)
Deliverables: Advanced policies active, compliance reports automated, SOC integration (SIEM/SOAR), managed threat monitoring
CONSOLIDATION
Zscaler consolidates functions that typically require 4–5 separate tools: web proxy, DNS filter, DLP, VPN, and firewall. Fewer appliances = lower cost, less operational complexity, faster policy updates.
| Function | Old Stack (Traditional) | Zscaler (Cloud-Native) | Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Security | Web proxy + DNS filter | ZIA | Single pane, no appliance |
| Private App Access | VPN (IPSec or SSL) | ZPA | Zero trust, better UX |
| Data Loss Prevention | Standalone DLP appliance | ZIA DLP | Inline inspection, no delays |
| Threat Detection | Firewall IDS/IPS | ZIA threat feeds + sandbox | Cloud-scale threat intel |
| Policy Management | Manual appliance updates | Cloud-centralized policy | Zero downtime updates |
Zscaler shifts security spending from CapEx (appliances with 3–5 year refresh cycles) to OpEx (cloud subscription). The consolidation argument is straightforward:
COMPARISON
Organizations often ask: "Can't Microsoft Entra ID + Defender do this?" or "What about Microsoft cloud security?" The answer: Microsoft and Zscaler are complementary, not competitive. Microsoft Entra ID is identity. Zscaler is network security.
| Capability | Microsoft Entra ID + Defender | Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Traffic Filtering | Limited (Edge browser only) | All traffic, all apps, all devices | Zscaler |
| DLP (Data Loss Prevention) | Endpoint DLP (Defender) | Inline network DLP (ZIA) | Both (defense-in-depth) |
| App Access (Private) | Application Proxy (limited) | ZPA (full zero trust) | Zscaler |
| Identity & SSO | Entra ID (strong) | Integrates with Entra | Both (Zscaler uses Entra) |
| Threat Intelligence | Defender (endpoint-based) | Cloud-scale threat feeds | Both (complementary) |
| Network Segmentation | Not applicable | Micro-segmentation (ZPA) | Zscaler |
COMPLIANCE
Zscaler is designed to simplify compliance. Ridge IT provides policy templates pre-mapped to common frameworks.
| Compliance Framework | Requirement | Zscaler Control |
|---|---|---|
| CMMC 2.0 (DoD) | Network segmentation, data protection, threat detection | ZPA for segmentation, ZIA for threat detection, DLP for CUI protection |
| FFIEC (Banking) | Access controls, encryption, data loss prevention | ZPA for app access, ZIA with SSL inspection, DLP for financial data |
| PCI-DSS | Cardholder data protection, network segmentation | ZPA for cardholder system isolation, DLP for card data, logging/alerting |
| FedRAMP (Federal) | Cloud security controls, audit logging | Zscaler FedRAMP-authorized for ZIA & ZPA; audit logs to SIEM |
| HIPAA (Healthcare) | PHI protection, access controls | ZPA for EMR/EHR segmentation, DLP for PHI, encryption in transit |
Ridge IT provides: Pre-built compliance policy sets (CMMC, FFIEC, PCI-DSS), audit-ready logging templates, compliance report automation, and annual policy reviews.
COMMON QUESTIONS
RELATED SERVICES
Ridge IT offers end-to-end Zscaler deployment and management. Here are adjacent services that work with Zscaler deployments:
Ridge IT can have your Zscaler platform live in 2–4 weeks. We handle design, deployment, tuning, and ongoing management.
Start TodayRapid response times, with around the clock IT support, from Inc. Magazine’s #1 MSSP.
