Your data path cannot depend on a vendor cloud
Datawiza Access Proxy runs the data plane in your environment, such as your DMZ, VPC, private cloud, or on-premises network. Management remains cloud-delivered.
ZTNA alternatives
Secure Web Application Access Without Routing Traffic Through a Vendor Cloud
ZTNA products are strong for reachability. Datawiza Access Proxy is different: a self-hosted data plane for HTTP and HTTPS web applications, plus app-level SSO and MFA for legacy, ERP, SharePoint, and custom apps that still need real application login modernization.
Right tool, right job
When a ZTNA Alternative Makes Sense
Most ZTNA products solve how a user reaches an internal app. Many teams still need to solve what happens at the application layer once the user arrives.
You do not want a tunnel or connector project
Datawiza uses a standard reverse proxy pattern for web applications rather than an outbound tunnel or app connector that brokers traffic through a vendor network.
You need MFA for apps that cannot be rewritten
Use your existing IdP where it fits, or Datawiza built-in MFA where users should keep existing application credentials and do not need a new identity migration first.
You need app-level SSO, not only access
PeopleSoft, Oracle EBS, JD Edwards, SharePoint, and homegrown apps may still show their own login page behind a network gate. Datawiza can perform app-specific SSO patterns for supported web apps.
Comparison
ZTNA Alternatives Compared for Web Application Access
This table summarizes the architectural tradeoff. It is intentionally focused on web applications, not full private-network replacement.
| Criteria | Datawiza Access Proxy | Common ZTNA pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Primary job | App-level SSO, MFA, access policy, and audit for existing HTTP/HTTPS web applications. | Secure reachability to private apps and networks, often as part of a broader Zero Trust or SASE platform. |
| Data plane | Self-hosted in your environment; application traffic does not route through Datawiza's cloud service. | Often cloud-brokered through vendor points of presence, connectors, tunnels, or service edges. |
| Vendor cloud outage impact | Existing protected web-app traffic continues through the self-hosted data plane; management changes depend on the cloud control plane. | Depends on architecture; cloud-brokered access can make vendor service availability part of the traffic path. |
| Tunnel or connector | No outbound tunnel dependency; standard reverse proxy pattern for web apps. | Many products require connectors, publishers, tunnels, or service edges. |
| Legacy ERP login | Supported app-specific SSO patterns, including PeopleSoft PSSSOUID, Oracle EBS ICX session creation, and JDE_SSO_UID. | Often gates access but leaves the legacy application login experience intact. |
| Identity options | Works with Entra ID, Okta, Ping, Cognito, Auth0, Google, and Datawiza built-in MFA. | Varies by vendor and platform assumptions. |
| Non-web protocols | Web apps only. Keep existing tooling for SSH, RDP, TCP, or full private-network access. | Many ZTNA/SASE products cover non-web protocols and broader private access. |
Vendor comparisons
Compare Datawiza With Common ZTNA Products
Each comparison keeps the tradeoffs honest: where the ZTNA product is strong, where Datawiza is different, and when the products can be complementary.
How Datawiza is different
A Self-Hosted Data Plane for App-Level SSO and MFA
Self-hosted data plane
Deploy Access Proxy where the applications live. Your protected application traffic stays in your environment rather than traversing Datawiza's cloud.
Clientless web access
Users access protected web applications through a browser. Datawiza does not require endpoint client software for the web-app use case.
Legacy app SSO depth
Datawiza is built for web apps that were not designed for modern identity, including ERP and collaboration systems with app-specific SSO requirements.
Flexible identity choices
Use the IdP you already have, or use Datawiza built-in MFA when the fastest path is protecting existing app users without a new IdP project.
FAQ
ZTNA Alternative Questions
What is a ZTNA alternative?
A ZTNA alternative is a different way to secure private application access. For web applications, Datawiza Access Proxy is an alternative when the requirement is app-level SSO, MFA, access policy, and audit without routing traffic through a vendor cloud.
Can ZTNA add MFA to a legacy application?
ZTNA can require identity before a user reaches the application. That is different from integrating MFA and SSO at the application layer. Datawiza can enforce MFA and complete supported legacy web-app SSO patterns without changing application code.
Do all ZTNA products route traffic through a vendor cloud?
No, architectures vary. Many popular ZTNA and SASE products use cloud brokers, service edges, tunnels, connectors, or publishers. Datawiza's differentiator is a self-hosted data plane for web application traffic.
What is a self-hosted alternative to ZTNA?
For HTTP and HTTPS web applications, Datawiza Access Proxy provides a self-hosted data plane that runs in your environment and enforces SSO, MFA, policy, and audit before requests reach the app.
Does Datawiza replace ZTNA entirely?
Not for every use case. Datawiza is focused on web applications. Keep ZTNA, VPN, or other tooling for non-web protocols and full private-network access; use Datawiza where app-level web SSO and MFA are the missing controls.