Stop Shadow AI. Control Costs. End Disruptive Platform Changes.

Barracuda SecureEdge DNS Access is a Cisco Umbrella DNS replacement solution with built-in AI governance and transparent pricing to avoid financial surprises.

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Deploy in 48–72 hours and keep Cisco running during the trial.

Stop shadow AI, price hikes and forced migrations

Cisco customers have experienced multiple product transitions since 2021. Barracuda SecureEdge DNS Access gives you what Umbrella can’t.

  • Shadow AI detection
  • Transparent per-user per-month pricing
  • Zero Trust Access to test virtual private network (VPN) replacement
  • All in one platform — deploy in 48 hours, not weeks

SecureEdge DNS Access is a DNS security solution with built-in AI governance, while Cisco Umbrella requires separate products and higher-tier subscriptions to deliver equivalent AI governance capabilities.

See every AI tool your users touch

ChatGPT. Gemini. Claude. See which AI tools are accessing your company data right now. Block risky tools and allow approved ones.

See How AI Security Works

48-hour deployment vs. weeks with Cisco

Cisco migrations to a new vendor typically take 2—4 weeks of IT time. SecureEdge DNS Access deploys in 48 hours— to offices via DNS redirect and to users via lightweight agent, so you can start protecting your business this week.

Zero Trust Access included for 10 users

Test VPN replacement with your team before full rollout. Cisco Secure Access ZTNA is a separate subscription tier and is not included in the DNS Defense tier.

Find Out More About ZTA

What you get vs. what Cisco requires separate subscriptions for

Capability Cisco Umbrella DNS Barracuda SecureEdge DNS Access

* Comparison accurate as of June 2026.

The Bottom Line: Cisco requires separate subscription tiers to get AI governance and ZTNA. SecureEdge DNS Access includes both at the DNS tier.

Stop shadow AI before it becomes a breach

Your employees are using AI tools right now. Can you see which ones?

Every day, employees paste company data into ChatGPT, upload customer lists to AI assistants, and share sensitive documents with tools you’ve never approved. Without visibility, you’re blind to your biggest data leakage risk.

The Shadow AI Gap in DNS-only Security

Cisco Umbrella's DNS Defense tier does not offer AI governance. To get visibility into AI tool usage, you'd need to purchase higher-tier subscriptions, integrate them, and coordinate multiple management consoles. 

SecureEdge DNS Access includes Shadow AI detection by default. No separate products, no integration projects.

What you see on Day 1:

  • Complete AI tool inventory: Every AI service your users access (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, and 100+ others)
  • Risk scoring: Each tool rated on data retention, privacy policy, and regulatory compliance
  • User-level detail: Which employees use which tools, how often, and from where
  • Usage trends: Spot risky behavior patterns before incidents occur

What you can do on Day 1:

  • Block high-risk AI tools immediately
  • Redirect to approved alternatives (e.g., block public ChatGPT and redirect to Enterprise version)
  • Set allow lists for vetted tools
  • Generate reports for compliance and audit

Real-world impact

It's common for organizations to uncover AI applications already in active use that fall outside existing IT governance. Gaining visibility into these tools helps security teams identify and reduce potential data exposure risks before they become incidents.

See AI Security Demo

Deploy in 48 hours, not 4 weeks

Stop waiting weeks for security you need today

Your Cisco renewal deadline is 30 days out? Platform migrations to a new vendor typically take 2–4 weeks of IT time. The math doesn’t work. SecureEdge DNS Access deploys in 48-72 hours so you can evaluate, decide and protect your organization before your deadline.

How SecureEdge DNS Access deploys

  • Office: Change DNS settings at firewall/router – 15 minutes total
  • Remote users: Mobile device management (MDM) push or self-enrollment link – 5 minutes per user
  • Policies: Import from Cisco via CSV – 30 minutes
  • No desktop visits. No user training required.

Migration made simple:

  • Export Cisco policies to CSV
  • Import into SecureEdge DNS Access in 30 minutes
  • Pre-built templates for common industries
  • Policy wizard for custom requirements

When your renewal deadline is approaching and you need an alternative fast, deployment speed isn’t nice to have — it’s essential.

Typical Steps When Migrating From Cisco to a New Platform:

  • Day 1-3: Download and package new client software
  • Day 3-7: Update MDM configurations
  • Week 2: Roll out to endpoints (while chasing offline devices)
  • Week 3: Rebuild policies in new console
  • Week 4: Troubleshoot integration issues

How SecureEdge DNS Access deploys in 72 hours:

Day 1: Provision & Trial

  • Account created
  • Trial group (20-50 users) onboarded
  • Policies imported from Cisco via CSV
  • Testing with peer group

Day 2: Full Rollout

  • Offices: Change DNS settings at firewall/router (15 minutes total)
  • Remote users: MDM push or self-enrollment link (5 min per user)
  • No desktop visits, no user training required

Day 3: Validation & Handoff

  • Dashboard review
  • Block rate validation
  • You’re fully protected

Know your price before you talk to sales

Transparent pricing — published today, next year and the year after

Cisco pricing is not published on cisco.com. All pricing requires a direct quote from Cisco or an authorized partner, which makes it difficult to forecast renewal costs or model multi-year IT budgets without engaging Cisco directly. Barracuda publishes SecureEdge DNS Access pricing, so you can budget with confidence.

Cisco pricing model

  • Pricing not listed on cisco.com—requires a quote
  • No way to forecast multi-year costs without a Cisco engagement
  • Product transitions may introduce new pricing models
  • No published list to benchmark against

The SecureEdge DNS Access pricing promise

  • Published prices everyone pays
  • Same price for 100 users or 1,000 users
  • No negotiation, no variance, no surprises
  • Clear upgrade path when you need more capabilities
  • Multi-year contracts available at same rate

Your expansion path (When you’re ready)

SecureEdge DNS Access grows with your needs — within the platform. Simply assign a new license to your users when you need it. No downtime. No reinstall. No reboot. No need for additional solutions.

Plan What you get

Stop the forced migration treadmill

Multiple product transitions in five years. Is your team ready for the next one?

Cisco customers have experienced multiple documented product transitions since 2021. Based on Cisco's own public announcements: the Umbrella Roaming Client reached end-of-life in 2024, legacy Umbrella SKUs reached end-of-sale in 2025, and customers are now in the process of migrating to the Cisco Secure Access platform.  Each transition requires IT planning time, policy re-configuration, and client software updates.

The real cost of platform transitions:

  • IT time consumed planning, testing, deploying
  • User productivity lost during transitions
  • Budget uncertainty as product transitions may introduce new pricing models
  • Feature re-verification (capabilities may move between tiers)
  • Risk of service disruption during cutover

Ask yourself

With Cisco's documented product transitions in 2024 and 2025, organizations should evaluate the time and cost involved in required platform changes when making DNS security decisions.

We keep our customers in mind. So, we enhance the platform through updates, not forced replacements. When we add capabilities, they’re available as optional upgrades and not mandatory migrations with new pricing.

Barracuda’s stability commitment

  • Zero forced platform changes since launch
  • Enhancements delivered through standard updates
  • Upgrade tiers when you’re ready—not when we require it
  • Long-term roadmap focused on building up, not replacing

Customer success story

Professional Services Firm Saves $172K Annually

Professional Services      350 Users      $172,800/Year Savings

The situation

  • $63K/year Cisco Umbrella customer received $180K renewal quote (186% increase).
  • Deadline: 45 days. Needed fast alternative evaluation.

What they did

  • Started SecureEdge DNA Access trial on Monday.
  • Deployed to 20-user trial group same day.
  • Ran side-by-side comparison for 30 days.

Comparison results

  • Block rates identical to Cisco in trial environment
  • Zero user complaints about blocked sites or performance
  • Shadow AI detection found 31 employees using unapproved AI tools
  • Deployment timeline: 48 hours vs. Cisco’s 2-3 week migration estimate

Business Impact

  • $172,800 annual savings ($180K Cisco quote - $7,200 SecureEdge DNS Access cost)
  • Funded SIEM implementation with 1st year savings
  • No forced migrations = predictable IT roadmap
  • AI governance included = regulatory compliance improved

“We deployed SecureEdge DNA Access faster than Cisco could schedule our renewal call. The shadow AI detection alone justified the switch! We would’ve needed a completely separate Cisco product for that capability.”

IT Director, Professional Services Firm

Individual results may vary. This example represents one customer's experience based on their specific Cisco contract pricing, user count, and requirements. Contact Barracuda for a personalized ROI analysis based on your organization's data.

See it working in your environment — with Cisco running

30-day parallel trial. Zero risk. You decide — based on data, not promises.

Don't cancel Cisco yet. Evaluate SecureEdge DNS Access with a pilot group and run both solutions side by side. Compare the results objectively in your own environment. If SecureEdge doesn't meet or exceed your expectations, you're free to stay with your current solution. No pressure, no obligation.

How the trial works

1

Deploy in 24 hours
(Keep Cisco Running)

We provision your SecureEdge DNS Access account, you deploy to pilot group (20-50 users of your choice), and Cisco Umbrella continues protecting everyone else. Zero disruption to your operations.

2

See Shadow AI exposure immediately

The dashboard shows AI tools your pilot users access and risk scores appear for each discovered tool. You’ll likely discover tools you didn’t know existed.

3

Compare for 30 days

You evaluate. We provide data: Are we catching the same threats Cisco is? Any complaints about blocked sites or speed? How does the central management compare? Does the reporting meet your compliance needs? Did we reveal exposures you didn’t know about?

4

Make your decision

After 30 days, you have objective comparison data. Choose based on evidence:

If SecureEdge DNS Access wins: you can have a full deployment in 48 hours

If Cisco wins: Walk away, zero obligation

If it’s close: Extend the trial another 30 days or loop us in

Success criteria — we agree before starting

  • Block rate matches or exceeds Cisco Umbrella in your environment
  • Deployment completes within 72 hours as promised
  • Zero user complaints about blocked sites or performance issues
  • Reporting meets your compliance and audit requirements
  • Shadow AI detection reveals exposure you can act on
  • Support responsiveness meets or exceeds your Cisco TAC experience

What the trial includes

  • Full feature access — Shadow AI, ZTNA, all capabilities
  • 24x7 support during trial period
  • Migration assistance if you decide to proceed
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Frequently Asked Question

Questions we hear from every Cisco customer

We use different intelligence sources (Barracuda ATP with AI/ML trained on 250,000+ endpoints vs. Cisco's Talos), but both provide effective DNS-layer threat blocking. Don't trust our claims! Run the 30-day trial and compare block rates in your actual environment with your actual threats. We'll show you the data side-by-side.

48-72 hours for full deployment. Here's why we're faster:

  • Offices: DNS redirect at firewall = 15 minute config change
  • Remote users: Lightweight agent via MDM = 5 minutes per user
  • Policies: Import from Cisco via CSV = 30 minutes

It's real, it's included, and it works on day one. Within the first week, most customers discover 20-50 AI tools in active use they didn't know existed. You'll see:

  • Which AI tools employees access (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, etc.)
  • Risk scores for each tool based on data handling
  • User-level detail showing who's using what
  • One-click blocking with redirect to approved alternatives

Direct import via CSV. Export your Umbrella block/allow lists, import them into SecureEdge DNS Access, and you're done. Pre-built templates available for common industries if you want to start fresh. Most policy migrations complete in under 30 minutes. No manual recreation required.

All SecureEdge DNS Access plans provide 30 days of data retention.

Check your contract for price increase escape clauses as many Cisco agreements include them. Even if you're locked in for another 6-12 months, let's have the conversation now so you're positioned for renewal. Some organizations find the math works even after early termination fees. At minimum, run a trial so you have leverage in Cisco renewal negotiations.

No migration required. SecureEdge DNS Access tiers are additive:

  • Start with DNS Access
  • Add Internet Access features when you need TLS/SSL inspection
  • Add Private Access when you're ready for full ZTNA
  • All on the same platform, same console, same policies

It's an expansion, not a migration. Upgrade when YOU are ready, not when we force you.

Direct access to award-winning support engineers who know the entire integrated platform. No bouncing between product teams because DNS, AI governance, and ZTNA are built together. 24/7/365 support with 4-hour response SLA on critical issues. During your trial, you'll experience the support quality firsthand.

Resources to make your decision easier

AI Security Demo Video (3 min)

See a demonstration of the dashboard — showing AI tool discovery, risk scoring and one-click blocking in action.

Your Cisco renewal deadline is coming.
Have a plan B.

Don’t negotiate with Cisco from a position of weakness. Run a SecureEdge DNS Access trial now before your renewal deadline. This gives you leverage and options. Deploy in 48 hours, compare for 30 days and make your decision based on data. You have nothing to lose and potential six-figure savings to gain.

Shadow AI Detection

See exposures Cisco can’t show you

48-Hour Deployment

Protect your business this week

Transparent Pricing

Avoid financial pitfalls

Start Free Trial

Citations

1 Cisco Secure Access DNS Defense tier does not include AI governance or Zero Trust Network Access. Shadow AI detection, AI tool inventory, AI risk scoring, and ZTNA are absent at this tier; these capabilities require higher-tier subscriptions (Secure Access SIA for AI governance; Secure Access SPA for ZTNA). Cisco's own documentation (doc 225162) confirms that tenant-level AI controls require the intelligent proxy and SSL decryption, neither of which is part of the DNS-only tier. Sources:

2 Competitive migrations from Cisco Umbrella to a new DNS security vendor typically take 2–4 weeks for mid-market organizations (8–12 weeks for enterprise depending on endpoint count, MDM readiness, and policy complexity). Sources:

3 Cisco Umbrella / Cisco Secure Access pricing is not listed on cisco.com; all pricing requires direct engagement with Cisco or an authorized partner. The Cisco Secure Access Subscription Ordering Guide explicitly states "there is no listed price for the subscription SKU." The Umbrella Enterprise Security Packages page shows only "Talk to an expert" and "Contact Sales" with no pricing. Sources:

4 Cisco Umbrella product transitions are documented in official public Cisco announcements. (1) Umbrella Roaming Client EOL: announced April 2, 2024; software maintenance ended April 2, 2025; customers required to migrate to Cisco Secure Client. (2) Legacy Umbrella SKUs end-of-sale: announced June 18, 2025; last day to order September 30, 2025; software maintenance ends September 30, 2026. (3) Cisco is actively migrating customers from Umbrella DNS/SIG to Cisco Secure Access. Sources:

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