Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Cisco Umbrella VS CloudShell

Compare Cisco Umbrella VS CloudShell and see what are their differences

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Cisco Umbrella logo Cisco Umbrella

Cisco Umbrella is a cloud security platform that provides the first line of defense against threats on the internet.

CloudShell logo CloudShell

Cloud Shell is a free admin machine with browser-based command-line access for managing your infrastructure and applications on Google Cloud Platform.
  • Cisco Umbrella Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-07-23
  • CloudShell Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-12

Cisco Umbrella features and specs

  • Comprehensive Security
    Cisco Umbrella offers a wide range of security features including DNS-layer security, secure web gateway, firewall, and cloud-delivered threat intelligence which collectively provides multi-layered protection against cyber threats.
  • Ease of Deployment
    Cisco Umbrella can be deployed quickly and easily across different types of networks, including on-premises, remote offices, and mobile users, without requiring significant changes to existing infrastructure.
  • High Availability
    Built on a globally distributed network, Cisco Umbrella ensures high availability and redundancy, making it a reliable option for companies that cannot afford downtime.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The centralized and intuitive dashboard makes it easy for administrators to monitor network activities, manage policies, and generate reports, reducing the complexity of security management.
  • Integration Capabilities
    Cisco Umbrella integrates well with other security tools and Cisco products, allowing organizations to build a more cohesive and comprehensive security strategy.

Possible disadvantages of Cisco Umbrella

  • Cost
    Cisco Umbrella can be expensive, especially for smaller organizations with limited budgets, which might find the cost prohibitive relative to their needs.
  • Complexity of Advanced Features
    While the basic features are easy to use, some of the more advanced features require specialized knowledge and training to fully leverage, which can be a barrier for some organizations.
  • Dependence on Internet Connectivity
    Being a cloud-based solution, Cisco Umbrella requires continuous internet connectivity to function effectively. Any disruption in internet service can impact its performance and reduce its effectiveness.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Because it involves routing all DNS queries through its servers, there could be potential privacy concerns for organizations worried about data sovereignty and confidentiality.
  • Limited Offline Protection
    Cisco Umbrella primarily provides online protection. For devices that need security while offline, additional measures need to be implemented, which could complicate the security strategy.

CloudShell features and specs

  • Integrated Environment
    CloudShell provides a fully integrated development environment directly within your browser, including access to Google Cloud resources, pre-installed Google Cloud SDK, and other useful tools.
  • Convenience
    Because it's browser-based, there is no need to install or configure anything locally, which can save considerable setup time and eliminate environment inconsistencies.
  • Security
    Operating within Google's infrastructure can add layers of security, including secure connection to cloud resources and less risk of exposing local machines to vulnerabilities.
  • Access to Project Resources
    Directly connects to Google Cloud resources associated with your account, making it easy to manage and deploy applications within your cloud environment.
  • Scalability
    Seamlessly scalable environment that can handle different workloads without performance degradation.
  • Persistent Storage
    CloudShell offers persistent storage, allowing users to save their work and configurations, which are available in future sessions.
  • Pre-installed Tools
    Includes a range of pre-installed tools, such as git, gcloud SDK, and language libraries, enabling efficient development and deployment workflows.

Possible disadvantages of CloudShell

  • Resource Limits
    CloudShell has usage limits, including limited disk space and CPU, which may not be sufficient for all types of workloads, particularly resource-intensive tasks.
  • Inactive Use Timeouts
    Sessions that are inactive for a period of time may be automatically terminated, which can disrupt ongoing work.
  • Dependency on Internet Connection
    Being a cloud-based solution, a stable internet connection is required. Any disruption in connectivity can hamper development and deployment processes.
  • Latency Issues
    Depending on your geographical location, there may be latency issues which can affect performance and response times.
  • Limited Customization
    While CloudShell provides many pre-installed tools, users have limited control over the environment compared to a locally managed development setup.
  • Paid Subscription Needed for Extensive Use
    Beyond the free tier, extensive usage of CloudShell resources may incur additional costs, which can add up depending on the scale and nature of the tasks.
  • Learning Curve
    New users who are not familiar with Google Cloud's ecosystem may face an initial learning curve to fully leverage CloudShell's capabilities.

Analysis of Cisco Umbrella

Overall verdict

  • Cisco Umbrella is generally regarded as a strong and effective security solution for protecting users and networks from online threats. Its robust features and reliable performance make it a preferred option for businesses seeking to enhance their cybersecurity posture.

Why this product is good

  • Cisco Umbrella is often considered a good choice for internet security due to its comprehensive protection against threats such as malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks. It offers DNS-layer security, providing a first line of defense against potential threats by blocking dangerous domains before a connection is established. Additionally, Cisco Umbrella is cloud-delivered, meaning it can be rapidly deployed and easily scaled to meet the needs of different organizations.

Recommended for

    Cisco Umbrella is recommended for businesses of all sizes looking to improve their network security. This includes organizations in sectors that handle sensitive data, such as finance, healthcare, and education. It's also suitable for remote and distributed workforces owing to its cloud-based architecture, which provides protection regardless of a user's location.

Analysis of CloudShell

Overall verdict

  • Yes, CloudShell is a good tool, especially for those who are actively using Google Cloud Platform. It provides a user-friendly interface and a comprehensive set of tools to manage cloud resources effectively. Its convenience, combined with the power of GCP, makes it a valuable asset for cloud-based development and operations.

Why this product is good

  • CloudShell is a versatile tool offered by Google Cloud Platform (GCP) that provides a command-line environment directly in your web browser. It is particularly beneficial for developers and system administrators because it allows them to manage GCP resources easily without needing to install additional software on their local machines. CloudShell includes the Google Cloud SDK, along with other essential tools, making it a convenient and efficient option for cloud management tasks. Additionally, it offers persistent storage, allowing users to save their scripts and data between sessions. The integration with other GCP services enhances productivity by providing seamless access and control.

Recommended for

  • Developers who frequently work with Google Cloud Platform
  • System administrators managing GCP resources
  • New users of Google Cloud who need an easy introduction to command-line tools
  • Teams collaborating on GCP projects, as it supports session sharing

Cisco Umbrella videos

How IT Works: Security at the DNS Layer with Cisco Umbrella

More videos:

  • Review - Cisco Umbrella Product Packages
  • Review - Cisco Umbrella Customer Review: Cisco IT
  • Review - What is Cisco Umbrella?
  • Review - Unleash the Power of Cisco Umbrella: A Comprehensive Review

CloudShell videos

No CloudShell videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Cisco Umbrella and CloudShell)
Cyber Security
100 100%
0% 0
Text Editors
0 0%
100% 100
Security & Privacy
100 100%
0% 0
Development
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, CloudShell should be more popular than Cisco Umbrella. It has been mentiond 13 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Cisco Umbrella mentions (3)

  • Amazon Outage
    Cisco Umbrella | Leader in Cloud Cybersecurity and SASE Solutions. Source: over 3 years ago
  • How are Vpns blocked?
    A combination of subscription ip blocklists like that sold by MaxMind combined with DNS and application filtering services like Umbrella would catch most services. For good measure I'd toss in local .exe application whitelisting running on each of the schools machines to only allow the applications the school wants using something like applocker which is included in windows so it probably fits into their budget. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Blocking sites
    We've been very happy with Cisco's Umbrella product. A few years back I "test drove" the free version, but thats a very poor substitute for the paid product. It's not cheap, but it has worked very well for us. Over 70% of our users are remote since the start of COVID, so we opted for the "roaming client" installation on every endpoint. We have a "basic" network profile for our office locations that slightly... Source: almost 4 years ago

CloudShell mentions (13)

  • GCP Fundamentals: Cloud Shell API
    The Google Cloud Shell API empowers organizations to automate cloud operations, accelerate software delivery, and improve efficiency. By providing a programmatic interface for managing Cloud Shell environments, the API unlocks new possibilities for developers, SREs, and data teams. Explore the official documentation and try the hands-on lab to experience the benefits of the Cloud Shell API firsthand. ... - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Intro to the YouTube APIs: searching for videos
    Command-line (gcloud) -- Those who prefer working in a terminal can enable APIs with a single command in the Cloud Shell or locally on your computer if you installed the Cloud SDK which includes the gcloud command-line tool (CLI) and initialized its use. If this is you, issue this command to enable the API: gcloud services enable youtube.googleapis.com Confirm all the APIs you've enabled with this command:... - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
  • Explore the world with Google Maps APIs
    Gcloud/command-line - Finally, for those more inclined to using the command-line, you can enable APIs with a single command in the Cloud Shell or locally on your computer if you installed the Cloud SDK (which includes the gcloud command-line tool [CLI]) and initialized its use. If this is you, issue the following command to enable all three APIs: gcloud services enable geocoding-backend.googleapis.com... - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Getting started with the Google Cloud CLI interactive shell for serverless developers
    While you might find that using the Google Cloud online console or Cloud Shell environment meets your occasional needs, for maximum developer efficiency you will want to install the Google Cloud CLI (gcloud) on your own system where you already have your favorite editor or IDE and git set up. - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago
  • Cloud desktops aren't as good as you'd think
    Here is the product https://cloud.google.com/shell It has a quick start guide and docs. - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Cisco Umbrella and CloudShell, you can also consider the following products

Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateways - Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateways offers secure internet access for the employees.

GitHub Codespaces - GItHub Codespaces is a hosted remote coding environment by GitHub based on Visual Studio Codespaces integrated directly for GitHub.

McAfee SmartFilter - McAfee Web Protection is a web security solution that includes an on-premises secure web gateway and SaaS-based web security delivered from the cloud.

CodeTasty - CodeTasty is a programming platform for developers in the cloud.

WebTitan - WebTitan is an advanced DNS based web content filter and web security layer that blocks malware, ransomware and phishing attempts as well as providing web content control. Cloud and gateway versions available.

Glitch - Glitch is the friendly community where everyone builds the web. Simple, powerful interface for creating web apps.