Zscaler
Cloud-based zero trust security platform providing secure access to applications without traditional VPNs
OpenZiti
Zero‑trust, programmable network fabric for secure application connectivity
OpenZiti delivers a scalable, pluggable mesh with zero‑trust access, dark services, and end‑to‑end encryption, plus SDKs, tunnelers, and a web console for easy management.
Overview
Overview
OpenZiti is a programmable networking layer that lets developers and operators build zero‑trust, application‑segmented connections. By using certificate‑based identities, every client and service is authenticated and authorized before traffic is allowed, eliminating the need for open ports or traditional VPNs.
Capabilities
The platform provides a smart‑routing mesh with built‑in load balancing, dark services and routers that only make outbound connections, and end‑to‑end encryption whether you embed the SDKs or deploy pre‑built tunnelers and proxies. Management is handled through a flexible policy model, a web‑based admin console, and fully programmable REST APIs. SDKs are available for multiple languages, and the fabric can be extended with custom load‑balancing algorithms, interconnect protocols, and metrics collection.
Deployment
OpenZiti can be started locally via quick‑start guides, Docker, or any host environment. While the quick‑start environment is ideal for evaluation, production deployments require planning of PKI, controller scaling, and mesh topology. The project is Apache‑2.0 licensed and supported by a growing community of adopters.
Highlights
Zero‑trust, application‑level access control with certificate‑based identities
Dark services and routers that require only outbound connections
Programmable REST management API and extensible SDKs for multiple languages
Smart‑routing mesh with built‑in load balancing and metrics
Pros
- Fine‑grained security without exposing network ports
- Scalable mesh architecture supports horizontal scaling
- Developer‑friendly SDKs enable end‑to‑end encryption
- Web console and policy model simplify operations
Considerations
- Initial setup can be complex for newcomers
- Production‑grade deployments require careful planning beyond quick‑start environment
- Limited native UI compared to commercial VPN solutions
- Performance overhead from encryption may affect latency‑sensitive workloads
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When teams consider OpenZiti, these hosted platforms usually appear on the same shortlist.
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Fit guide
Great for
- Enterprises needing zero‑trust segmentation for internal apps
- Developers building security‑first microservices
- Ops teams managing multi‑cloud private networks
- Organizations wanting programmable network policies via APIs
Not ideal when
- Small teams seeking plug‑and‑play VPN without configuration
- Use cases requiring instant global scale without custom deployment
- Environments lacking PKI or certificate management expertise
- Applications that cannot be modified to use SDKs or tunnelers
How teams use it
Secure remote access to internal dashboards
Employees connect through dark routers, gaining access only to authorized web interfaces without exposing ports.
Zero‑trust service mesh for microservices
Each service uses the OpenZiti SDK, ensuring mutual authentication and encrypted traffic across clusters.
Legacy application integration
Deploy a Ziti tunnel proxy beside the legacy app, making it a dark service reachable securely by authorized clients.
Multi‑cloud connectivity
Edge routers in different clouds join the mesh, providing seamless, encrypted communication between cloud resources.
Tech snapshot
Go97%
Shell2%
HTML1%
PowerShell1%
HCL1%
JavaScript1%
Frequently asked questions
What programming languages are supported by the OpenZiti SDKs?
OpenZiti provides SDKs for several languages, including Go, Java, JavaScript, and others, enabling integration across diverse application stacks.
How does OpenZiti differ from a traditional VPN?
Unlike VPNs that grant network‑wide access, OpenZiti enforces zero‑trust policies at the application level, using dark services and certificate‑based authentication to limit exposure.
Can OpenZiti be run in a containerized environment?
Yes, OpenZiti components can be deployed via Docker or other container platforms, and quick‑start guides cover local container setups.
Is there a managed service option for OpenZiti?
While the core project is open source, a managed service is offered by NetFoundry for global, scalable deployments.
How are certificates managed for identities?
Certificates are provisioned per identity and used for both authentication and authorization; the controller handles PKI operations and certificate distribution.
Project at a glance
Active- Stars
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- Watchers
- 3,823
- Forks
- 233
LicenseApache-2.0
Repo age6 years old
Last commit15 hours ago
Primary languageGo
Last synced 3 hours ago