Application Gateway vs Array AG Series SSL VPN Remote Access: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)

Teams running multi-region cloud applications on Azure will get the most from Application Gateway because its native integration with Azure infrastructure eliminates the latency and complexity of bolted-on WAF solutions. It handles Layer 7 load balancing with built-in DDoS protection across Microsoft's global backbone, and the free tier removes budget friction for teams testing WAF capabilities before scaling. Skip this if you need a vendor-agnostic WAF that ports easily to AWS or GCP; Application Gateway is tightly coupled to Azure and doesn't play well outside that ecosystem. Mid-market and enterprise teams deploying hybrid infrastructure need the Array AG Series SSL VPN Remote Access for its device-identity validation and multi-layer access control, which stops compromised endpoints from reaching sensitive applications even after authentication succeeds. The platform supports up to 256 customizable virtual portals with resource-specific policies and runs on hardware or virtual appliances, giving you granular segmentation without redesigning your network. Skip this if your primary concern is detecting lateral movement post-breach; Array locks down the access gate effectively but doesn't monitor what happens after users connect.

Based on our analysis of NIST CSF 2.0 coverage, core features, integrations, company size fit, here is our conclusion: