Deploying Cisco Umbrella (formerly OpenDNS) solved both problems in about 30 minutes. Here is my honest take after 18 months of use. 1. Roaming Client is a lifesaver. Unlike traditional filters that only work when you are plugged into the corporate network, Umbrella’s lightweight roaming client follows the user everywhere. Whether they are at Starbucks, home, or a hotel, the DNS filtering is active. No more "I wasn't on the VPN so I didn't know" excuses.

We previously used a major antivirus vendor's web filter. Umbrella blocks malicious domains (malware, phishing, C2 callbacks) noticeably faster. It blocks newly registered domains (NRDs) that often host zero-day attacks before signature updates even exist.

As the sole IT manager for a hybrid workforce of 150 employees, I was losing sleep over two things: users clicking malicious links at home, and students/employees bypassing our on-premise web filter using VPNs or personal hotspots.