Index › IT › Network and edge › Microsegmentation › Zero Networks Segment vs Akamai Guardicore Segmentation
Microsegmentation · November 2026 Edition
Zero Networks Segment vs Akamai Guardicore Segmentation
One of fourteen models named Zero Networks Segment first on the direct prompt; three named Akamai Guardicore Segmentation. Zero Networks Segment was named by twelve of the fourteen models and Akamai Guardicore Segmentation by fourteen and Zero Networks Segment carries 33 labels and Akamai Guardicore Segmentation 43, so the shares are not directly comparable.
Named in one category this edition.
Named in two categories this edition.
First-choice share16%9%Of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts, 0 to 100.
Negative rate3%7%Negative labels as a share of the product's labels, 0 to 100.
Rank in category#2#4A position in a field of 8; printed, not drawn.
Labels3343A count; the two differ.
The two percentage rows are drawn on one 0 to 100 track, Zero Networks Segment reading right to left. Rank and label count are printed, not drawn.ColorTokens Xshield was named alongside these two in eleven of the fourteen direct answers. ColorTokens Xshield vs Zero Networks Segment · ColorTokens Xshield vs Akamai Guardicore Segmentation · Zero Networks Segment vs Illumio Segmentation
Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all fourteen models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category; every quote names the model and the prompt it came from. Both figures come from the microsegmentation page.
By framing
How many of the fourteen models made each the first choice, per way of asking, and how many argued against it.
Zero Networks SegmentFirst choices, of fourteen modelsAkamai Guardicore Segmentation
Direct131 against Zero Networks Segment
Paraphrase31
Comparative02
Budget-constrained303 against Akamai Guardicore Segmentation
Scale-constrained00
Negative10
Bars are first choices, 0 to 14 each sideModels that argued againstA model can name both, so the two sides of a row do not sum to fourteen.
Across every category in the November 2026 Edition, Zero Networks Segment and Akamai Guardicore Segmentation were named in the same answer eighty-five times, of the 100 answers naming Zero Networks Segment and the 158 naming Akamai Guardicore Segmentation. In those answers Akamai Guardicore Segmentation took the first choice thirteen times and Zero Networks Segment twenty-five.
Every model, every framing
The eighty-four answers behind the chart above, one cell each: where Zero Networks Segment and Akamai Guardicore Segmentation stood in it.
| Model | Direct | Paraphrase | Comparative | Budget-constrained | Scale-constrained | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Haiku 4.5 | | |||||
| GPT-5.4 mini | | | | |||
| Gemini 3.5 Flash | | | | | | |
| Perplexity Sonar | | | ||||
| Grok 4.20 | | | | | | |
| Mistral Small | | | | | ||
| DeepSeek V4 Flash | | | | | | |
| Llama 4 Maverick | | | ||||
| Qwen 3.7 Flash | ||||||
| Kimi K2 | | | | | ||
| GLM 4.7 FlashX | | | | |||
| MiniMax M2.5 | ||||||
| GPT-6 Luna | | | | |||
| Muse Glimmer 30B | | | |
Zero Networks Segment Akamai Guardicore Segmentation first choice named as an alternative argued againstblank: not namedEach cell is one answer, Zero Networks Segment on the left and Akamai Guardicore Segmentation on the right.The direct prompt
The plain question, one answer per model, grouped by where Zero Networks Segment and Akamai Guardicore Segmentation stood in it.
Zero Networks Segment first, Akamai Guardicore Segmentation not the choice
1 of 14 modelsAkamai Guardicore Segmentation was named in the answer but not as the choice, or not at all.Kimi K2Zero Networks Segment alternatives: ColorTokens Xshield
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation first, Zero Networks Segment an alternative
3 of 14 modelsZero Networks Segment was named in the answer but not as the choice, or not at all.GPT-5.4 miniAkamai Guardicore Segmentation, Illumio Segmentation alternatives: Zero Networks Segment
Gemini 3.5 FlashAkamai Guardicore Segmentation alternatives: Elisity, Illumio Segmentation, Isovalent/Cilium, Tigera Calico, Zero Networks Segment
GLM 4.7 FlashXAkamai Guardicore Segmentation, ColorTokens Xshield alternatives: Cisco Identity Services Engine, Cisco Secure Workload, Illumio Segmentation, VMware NSX
Neither was the first choice, one was named
5 of 14 modelsThe answer put something else first and named one of the two as an alternative.Perplexity SonarColorTokens Xshield alternatives: Akamai Guardicore Segmentation, Illumio Segmentation, Zero Networks Segment
Grok 4.20ColorTokens Xshield alternatives: Akamai Guardicore Segmentation, Elisity, Zero Networks Segmentation
Mistral SmallColorTokens Xshield alternatives: Zero Networks Segment
GPT-6 LunaIllumio Segmentation alternatives: Akamai Guardicore Segmentation, ColorTokens Xshield
Muse Glimmer 30BColorTokens Xshield alternatives: Akamai Guardicore Segmentation, Broadcom, Illumio Segmentation, VMware NSX, Zscaler Private Access
Neither was named
5 of 14 modelsThe answer made no first choice from these two in this category.Claude Haiku 4.5no first choice
DeepSeek V4 FlashColorTokens Xshield alternatives: Illumio Segmentation
Llama 4 MaverickColorTokens Xshield
Qwen 3.7 FlashColorTokens Xshield alternatives: Illumio Segmentation, Palo Alto Networks, Tigera Calico
MiniMax M2.5ColorTokens Xshield alternatives: Airlock Microgateway, Faddom, Opinnate Network Security Policy Manager
Bold names in an answer are the products the judge labeled a first choice; a model naming several gives each of them that label. The full answer text for every row is in the record.
By buyer segment
The same question asked on behalf of a different buyer. Each standing is computed within its segment and they are never added together. The figures above are the mid-market standing, which is the one the category orders by.
Small business
Zero Networks Segment leads by twenty-five points.
Zero Networks Segment30%#1 of 11Akamai Guardicore Segmentation5%#2 of 11Mid-marketThe figures above
Zero Networks Segment leads by seven points.
Zero Networks Segment16%#2 of 8Akamai Guardicore Segmentation9%#4 of 8Enterprise
Zero Networks Segment leads by four points.
Zero Networks Segment11%#2 of 8Akamai Guardicore Segmentation6%#3 of 8What the models said about Zero Networks Segment
Every negative label with a quote, up to three, then the highest-weighted positives, up to three. Four of five in this category shown.
“Look at Zero Networks, but verify how its enforcement works on *your* operating systems... may not suit every asset” GPT-6 Luna · direct prompt · soft negative
“Zero Networks Segment is the lowest-cost agentless option that still delivers true workload-level segmentation” GLM 4.7 FlashX · budget prompt · first choice
“Zero Networks (often positioned as addressing legacy pain points with simpler, more effective approaches).” Grok 4.20 · negative prompt · first choice
“For most companies with a limited budget, Zero Networks is the best microsegmentation solution” DeepSeek V4 Flash · budget prompt · first choice
What the models said about Akamai Guardicore Segmentation
Every negative label with a quote, up to three, then the highest-weighted positives, up to three. Six of seven in this category shown.
“Instead of paying high six-figure annual licenses for enterprise microsegmentation suites like Illumio or Akamai Guardicore” Gemini 3.5 Flash · budget prompt · soft negative
“often start at tens of thousands of dollars annually ... can strain limited budgets” Grok 4.20 · budget prompt · soft negative
“If You Can Stretch the Budget ... Minimum deal size: ~$40,000” Kimi K2 · budget prompt · soft negative
“I recommend Akamai Guardicore Segmentation (now part of Akamai) as the top choice for east-west network segmentation (microsegmentation).” Grok 4.20 · paraphrase prompt · first choice
“the safest "best overall" microsegmentation choice is usually Illumio or Akamai Guardicore Segmentation” GPT-5.4 mini · direct prompt · first choice
“ColorTokens for rapid deployment and Akamai Guardicore (or Illumio) for deeper visibility and policy management” GLM 4.7 FlashX · direct prompt · first choice
Also compared
ColorTokens Xshield vs Zero Networks SegmentColorTokens Xshield vs Akamai Guardicore SegmentationZero Networks Segment vs Illumio SegmentationZero Networks Segment vs Cisco Secure WorkloadIllumio Segmentation vs Akamai Guardicore SegmentationAkamai Guardicore Segmentation vs Cisco Secure WorkloadAll ten head-to-head pages and the full microsegmentation standing
Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category, each against each. The output is the models' output; nothing here is a recommendation by the index.