Cloudflare is typically a firewall. There are several editions available, such as the free edition.
Independent Consultant at Unaikui
A firewall solution with CDN and DDoS protection
Pros and Cons
- "Cloudflare offers CDN and DDoS protection. We have the front end, API, and database in how you structure applications."
- "The pricing could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
Cloudflare offers CDN and DDoS protection. We have the front end, API, and database in how you structure applications.
What needs improvement?
The pricing could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cloudflare for one year.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable.
I rate the solution’s stability an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution’s scalability is good.
I rate the solution’s scalability an eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
We never need to contact customer service.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward and takes a few hours. One person can do that.
What about the implementation team?
I did the deployment myself as a solution architect.
What other advice do I have?
You might be on the free edition, depending on your chosen edition. With the free edition, you receive the top ten protection services.
If Microsoft offered something similar to Cloudflare at the same price, it would be much better because you're already on Azure utilizing resources for CI/CD and transitioning to Cloudflare. From the most basic functionalities to the highest level, they are all awesome if you prevent unauthorized access to your website data through penetration testing.
Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Technical Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Helps to create DNS records and connect Cloudflare to the original server
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of the solution is external DNS. It is also very secure. They have their own main server and once you configure it, the product takes care of everything. There are no issues in resolving IPs and low latency is also present."
- "The tool needs to improve caching of servers. The product needs to include PFX certificate as well."
What is our primary use case?
The product helps to create DNS records and connect Cloudflare to the original server. You can also do load balancing configuration. I work with SaaS solutions.
How has it helped my organization?
In a single product and with minimal costs, you can get multiple features.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of the solution is external DNS. It is also very secure. They have their own main server and once you configure it, the product takes care of everything. There are no issues in resolving IPs and low latency is also present.
What needs improvement?
The tool needs to improve caching of servers. The product needs to include PFX certificate as well.
For how long have I used the solution?
I am using the product for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product is scalable and my company has around 5000 users for the tool.
How are customer service and support?
The product's support needs to be improved since they do not provide proper answers in the required time.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
To deploy the solution, you need to enable the Cloudflare dashboard and create a container. After creating the container, you can create Cloudflare DNS records. You need to have Cloudflare CDN to reach your internal servers. The product's deployment will be lengthier for less experienced resources. It takes about 24 hours to complete the deployment process.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The product's pricing is minimal compared to other products.
What other advice do I have?
The product requires maintenance from time to time. I would rate the product a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Integrator
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DevOps Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
A stable and scalable DNS management tool to secure websites and servers
Pros and Cons
- "I rate its stability a ten out of ten."
- "Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to buy Cloudflare in my country."
What is our primary use case?
I use Cloudflare to secure my own websites and servers since I use the proxy functionality to hide my website/server IP. Also, I like to use Cloudflare DNS manager. I think it's simple and easy to use.
How has it helped my organization?
I did use Cloudflare as a freelancer or for my personal projects. So I made some websites, and I recommended my freelance customers to use Cloudflare for their DNS management. Also, I did use it in one organization. It was a startup, and it was me and my friend working there, so I did recommend the startup owner to use Cloudflare because of caching functionalities that could speed up your websites and so on.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of the solution is the proxy, so I can hide my servers. So no one can scan them, especially for port scanning, since we were hacked once. I did buy a VPS server, and I was just getting started. So I started MongoDB and left the port open. Someone scanned the website and saw the open port, and since I was just starting, I didn't set a password. He managed to get in, and he locked the database and locked all the data (ransomware). When using Cloudflare, I was sure that no one knew my real server IP address.
What needs improvement?
I couldn't think of buying it since I am from Tunisia. We have really strict limitations to buying internationally. So our bank cards are available only in Tunisia. When you own a company, the bank allows you to buy things from outside of Tunisia. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to buy Cloudflare in my country. The aforementioned details can be considered for improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cloudflare for two or three years. Also, I am using the free plan version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate its stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate its scalability a ten out of ten because I had no issues with it. Also, it was fast when updating my DNS records. So, that's why I always recommend it to my friends and organizations I deal with.
I have plans to increase the usage of the solution.
How are customer service and support?
I have never contacted Cloudflare's support team.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was really simple and user friendly.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I did not evaluate other options. I found Cloudflare on a YouTube tutorial. So I tried it and liked it, and I never even thought about looking for something else.
What other advice do I have?
I was using the free plan, and mainly, I was using it for DNS management as it was simple. When I buy a new domain, I don't use the main DNS management system. Also, I use it for IP protection. I didn't have the time to really use much of the solution. As far as I know, it's all good. I did see a new feature, but I didn't really manage to get it. I didn't use it.
I would definitely recommend it to those planning to use it.
I rate the overall solution a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Analista de Infraestrutura SêniorAnalista at Unifique Telecomunicações
Good agility and security with a great load balancer
Pros and Cons
- "The web application firewall brought us good security and a view of the accesses/blocks of the entire domain and subdomain that were accessed both by region (country) and IPs."
- "Cloudflare could offer a better view or maybe dashboards of the main resources used in the client."
What is our primary use case?
The first use case was to administer the main domain of the organization where I worked.
We have the entire registration process for the main domain and its subdomains, and we create web application firewall (WAF) and load balancer rules.
We did a major MX migration from Google to Microsoft, and doing that with Cloudflare has given us immense security.
This domain also started to visualize improper accesses from other countries and monitor where the main accesses came from.
We made some blocks of administrator sites that only be accessed by a specific IP.
How has it helped my organization?
Cloudflare's solution brought us more agility, security, and confidence in managing the environment.
We have seen that there are very few failures or almost none that occur on the Cloudflare servers, and if they occur, the accesses are distributed to another region.
We like that we have a view of where the main accesses came from, such as the main countries, and also what was being blocked by the web application firewall (WAF)
Creating a rule to limit some admin access also improved the security and integrity of our environment.
What is most valuable?
The features we used the most were the web application firewall and the load balancer. These two services were essential for our structure.
The web application firewall brought us good security and a view of the accesses/blocks of the entire domain and subdomain that were accessed both by region (country) and IPs.
As for the load balancer, it did its job perfectly. Our scenario consisted of two web servers in different allocations to control access demands, and the load balancer did the job as expected, bringing security and stability to access points.
What needs improvement?
Cloudflare could offer a better view or maybe dashboards of the main resources used in the client.
For example, it could be possible to create dashboards and reports of the main accesses allowed or blocked by the web application firewall. It would also be nice to bring information on the client's screen about the status of the services according to the hosted region.
Of the services that I use, this is the part that I miss. Other services are in agreement and serving me perfectly as they should be.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Cloudflare for about three or four years.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
IT Associate at GNRC Hospitals
It's the fastest solution
Pros and Cons
- "Cloudflare DNS is widely used, and it's good for websites. If we use Cloudflare DNS and update one record, it updates in their office instantly."
- "Cloudflare's free plan is limited to 5,000 records for their free plan. They should increase that. For example, if I create a domain called abc.com and a subdomain called a.abc.com, my record count will be two. I can make a maximum of 5,000 subdomains. However, if we use our own DNS hosted on another provider, there is no limit. Their free plan also lacks name server customization."
What is our primary use case?
Cloudflare is mostly a CDN service plus DDoS protection, but they are now offering services like cloud object storage, which AWS under S3. Cloudflare provides a cheaper alternative. They also have zero trust and load-balancing services.
What is most valuable?
Cloudflare DNS is widely used, and it's good for websites. If we use Cloudflare DNS and update one record, it updates in their office instantly.
What needs improvement?
Cloudflare's free plan is limited to 5,000 records for their free plan. They should increase that. For example, if I create a domain called abc.com and a subdomain called a.abc.com, my record count will be two. I can make a maximum of 5,000 subdomains. However, if we use our own DNS hosted on another provider, there is no limit. Their free plan also lacks name server customization.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used Cloudflare DNS for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Last year, the service went down, but it was only 49 minutes.
How was the initial setup?
Setting up Cloudflare DNS is easy. They have a simple web interface and also an API for advanced users.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We use the free version of CloudFlare
What other advice do I have?
I rate CloudFlare DNS nine out of 10. I would recommend it. It's the fastest DNS service.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Owner at Hga consulting
Convenient for managing different networks
Pros and Cons
- "Its ease of integration with Office 365 and the fact that it's a good product compared to what I had before"
- "An integrated SSO feature would be useful for Cloudflare DNS."
What is our primary use case?
I use it for my private work network and Office 365 network for both DNS and access through Cloudflare.
What is most valuable?
Its ease of integration with Office 365 and the fact that it's a good product compared to what I had before.
What needs improvement?
An integrated SSO would be nice, as well as the ability to integrate with the on-site active directory instead of just AD through Azure AD.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cloudflare DNS for two years.
How are customer service and support?
Their documentation is awesome, so I haven't had to deal with their tech support before. I would rate my experience with customer service as excellent, maybe an eight or nine out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
What other advice do I have?
I would say try it out, and if you like it, use it. I would rate it very good, a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Customer Success Associate at RapidCompute
Good load balancing and DDoS protection with unlimited bandwidth
Pros and Cons
- "The solution provides good load balancing and protection against DDoS attacks."
- "The solution is a great fit for customers who want unlimited bandwidth."
- "Support response time could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
Our company provides the solution to customers who need website load balancing or DDoS protection. Customers with minimal traffic use the Business Plan and customers with a huge amount of traffic use the Enterprise Plan.
We currently have thirty customers on the Business Plan and three customers on the Enterprise Plan.
What is most valuable?
The solution provides good load balancing and protection against DDoS attacks.
What needs improvement?
The solution should expand its learning portal for partners to include a few demo accounts for learning the product and developing knowledge or technical expertise.
Support response time could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable, has curbing centers in Pakistan, and is widely used.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable to each customer's needs. For example, you can scale up if you have two domains and want to add a third. It is easy to incorporate scaling.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support response time for Business Plan customers could be reduced. Most companies opt for this cost-effective plan but they should receive the same service as the Enterprise Plan. Currently, response time for Business Plan customers is six to eight hours and that should be minimized.
I rate support an eight out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The solution is easy to setup and share with customers. We categorize a customer's needs and recommend the best plan based on traffic and whether they need load balancing, bot management, routing, and unlimited bandwidth.
What about the implementation team?
We implement the solution for our customers. Deployment includes one project manager and one support technician.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is expensive when compared to other products but offers unlimited bandwidth.
I rate the licensing options an eight out of ten.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
The solution is a great fit for customers who want unlimited bandwidth.
Competitors such as Akamai have strict options for bandwidth so might not be a good fit.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend the solution for customers who don't yet have an idea how much bandwidth they need or who anticipate upscaling in a few months.
I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Senior Site Reliability Engineer at a transportation company with 201-500 employees
Helps with DNS load balancing and WAF
Pros and Cons
- "The solution offers the flexibility to control configuration rules."
- "The product needs to improve its automation."
What is our primary use case?
We use it for DNS load balancing and WAF.
What is most valuable?
The solution offers the flexibility to control configuration rules.
What needs improvement?
The product needs to improve its automation.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for two and a half years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the product's stability a ten out of ten since it never went down for me.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the solution's scalability a ten out of ten since I didn't encounter any issues with it.
How was the initial setup?
The tool's setup straightforward.
What was our ROI?
We have had ROI with the tool's use since it never gave us downtime and made us lose millions.
What other advice do I have?
I will rate the product an eight out of ten. Cloudflare is better than Cloud DNS. You need to start using Terraform along with Cloudflare. It will make your life easier without the need for manual creation. People usually thing they are going to use Cloudflare less but will end up using it more.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
SecOps Lead at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
One console, easy to maintain, and scalable
Pros and Cons
- "Cloudflare has many features."
- "In the last two years, there has been a certain amount of downtime when using the VDM."
What is our primary use case?
We are using Cloudflare for the CDN for our applications. We deployed the solution as SaaS.
What is most valuable?
Cloudflare has many features. We can control profits, block attacks, and use a Global Location CDN. Additionally, we have a single console from which we can manage multiple tasks.
What needs improvement?
In the last two years, there has been a certain amount of downtime when using the VDM. Compared to other vendors and Cloudflare, there will be more downtime. We encountered this issue last year, and there have been a few occasions when Cloudflare was not accessible in certain regions, not all global regions or speed regions, but the website went down and it took Cloudflare a long time to restore the service.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have experienced a few periods of downtime in the last two years, but the solution is generally stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not difficult. All the steps for deployment are documented. We followed the step-by-step instructions for configuration.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation was completed in-house by three employees.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I give the price a five out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I give the solution an eight out of ten.
Maintenance is easy; we receive a notification whenever maintenance is needed, as well as if a major restoration is required and what the likelihood of the system going offline will be.
I recommend Cloudflare.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
President & CEO at JEVSUPPORT, LLC
Highly secure, reliable, and useful DNS filtering
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Cloudflare DNS is security."
- "The documentation could improve for Cloudflare DNS."
What is our primary use case?
We use Cloudflare DNS for websites when our clients want to have good protection. We can filter any traffic before sending it to their web page.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Cloudflare DNS is security.
What needs improvement?
The documentation could improve for Cloudflare DNS.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cloudflare DNS for approximately eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cloudflare DNS is stable. I have not had an issue.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable. It can scale approximately 10 percent, it is limited only by how much money you want to spend on the increase.
I used this solution for large-sized companies because it is expensive.
How are customer service and support?
I have used the support and they could improve.
I rate the support from Cloudflare DNS a six out of seven.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The setup of Cloudflare DNS is easy. It is important to search for recommendations for best practices.
I rate the initial setup of Cloudflare DNS an eight out of ten.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of the solution is expensive.
I rate the price of Cloudflare DNS five out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I always advise my client to protect their websites and do DNS filtering.
I rate Cloudflare DNS an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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