The impact of the Secure Access deployment on help desk ticket volume and the end user experience has been a big improvement overall. We previously used Check Point, and migrating to Cisco has been a very positive experience. Our account team on the Cisco side has played a significant role in our customer success journey, resulting in low ticket numbers; after an initial peak of incidents due to teething issues, we now experience very low ticket numbers on a day-to-day basis.
Regarding the AI Access feature of Cisco Secure Access for providing deep visibility and control over AI applications, tools, and large language models, we are not currently using it as we do not incorporate any application layer integrations within Cisco Secure Access at the moment. However, it is something we are working towards, as I believe it is a relatively new feature. The AI Access feature is on our wish list, and we certainly intend to implement it. We know we need to do more around the DSPM functionality, which Cisco is working on, so as that stack builds from Cisco's side, we will look for an entry point to ensure full coverage that the tool provides. Currently, it is probably a little early for us to jump in, but in six months, we might consider it.
We are not using the Hybrid Private Access feature for varying enforcement locations of ZTNA private traffic; we are aware of it, but it requires integration with Security Cloud, which we have not completed yet. This feature is on our wish list.
We do not use the DEM feature, which is Digital Experience Monitoring, but we utilize ThousandEyes, which is installed on the Cisco client.
Transitioning to Zero Trust and least-privileged principles has been made easier from some perspectives with Cisco Secure Access. The identity-first approach is a significant part of this journey, and I know Cisco's ongoing improvements over the next twelve months will benefit this process. The traditional VPN is phasing out, with ZTNA being the new standard; however, some of our legacy infrastructure poses challenges in fully adopting ZTNA.
For companies considering Cisco Secure Access as their main solution, I advise starting the conversation early. Transitioning is not straightforward; it takes time. With all the ongoing changes in the product and AI integrations, early planning is crucial. While migration can occur quickly, incorporating add-ons and extras requires more time to effectively integrate into the product. We still have not fully utilized features we have had for a year, as we are still assessing their impact and exploring potential duplication with existing tools.
Regarding how Secure Access has helped prevent users from uploading sensitive and proprietary information to LLMs, we have not utilized that feature; we currently use Microsoft Defender Purview for this purpose. I understand it is a relatively new feature in Cisco, but we have not adopted it to that level yet.
I would rate this product overall as a nine out of ten.