Masergy: Leading SD-WAN and Managed Security Solutions for Enterprise

Welcome to the Masergy Evaluation Guide. As organizations navigate the complexities of digital transformation, the convergence of networking and security—often referred to as SASE (Secure Access Service Edge)—has become a critical priority. Masergy, now a Comcast Business company, stands out as a pioneer in software-defined networking, offering a global high-performance network combined with embedded security and managed services.

This guide is designed to help IT leaders determine if Masergy’s Managed SD-WAN, Security, and Unified Communications solutions align with their organizational goals. You will learn about their unique "shadow IT" discovery tools, their global private backbone, and how their co-managed approach can alleviate the burden on internal IT teams. Whether you are looking to replace an aging MPLS network or secure a remote workforce, this guide provides the technical and business insights necessary for an informed decision.

Masergy’s value proposition is built around three core pillars:

• Software-Defined Networking (SD-WAN):
  • Global Private Backbone: A high-performance network with <1% packet loss, ensuring superior application performance for international sites.
  • Dynamic Path Selection: Real-time routing of traffic based on application priority and circuit health.
• Integrated Security (SASE):
  • Managed Firewall & IDS/IPS: Enterprise-grade security embedded directly into the network edge.
  • Shadow IT Discovery: Unique visibility into unauthorized cloud application usage across the network.
  • Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR): Managed security services that extend protection to the device level.
• AIOps & Visibility:
  • Intelligent Control Tower: A single-pane-of-glass dashboard for managing SD-WAN, security, and UCaaS.
  • AI-Powered Analytics: Proactive alerting and anomaly detection to identify network issues before they impact users.
• UCaaS & CCaaS:
  • Optimized Voice/Video: Specialized routing to ensure high-quality communication via Microsoft Teams or Cisco Webex.

• Global Manufacturing Expansion: A manufacturer opening new plants in Southeast Asia and Europe uses Masergy’s private backbone to ensure their ERP system remains responsive across all locations, bypassing the volatility of the public internet.
• Hybrid Work Security: A financial services firm implements Masergy’s SASE solution to provide secure, high-speed access for remote employees while maintaining strict compliance and visibility into "Shadow IT" cloud usage.
• Retail Digital Transformation: A national retail chain uses Masergy SD-WAN to prioritize POS (Point of Sale) traffic over guest Wi-Fi, ensuring that transactions are never dropped during peak holiday shopping hours.
• Cloud Migration: A tech company moving its data center to Azure uses Masergy Cloud Connect to establish a private, 10Gbps link, reducing latency and egress costs compared to standard VPNs.

Masergy typically employs a customized, contractual pricing model based on the following drivers:

• Site Connectivity: Costs are determined by the number of locations, the required bandwidth (Mbps/Gbps), and the type of local access (Fiber, Broadband, LTE).
• Service Tier: Pricing varies between "Managed" (Masergy handles everything) and "Co-managed" (customer shares configuration tasks) options.
• Security Features: Add-ons such as EDR, Managed Firewall, and CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker) increase the monthly recurring cost.
• Licensing: Per-user licensing for UCaaS/CCaaS seats.
• Contract Term: Standard enterprise terms are typically 36 to 60 months, with discounts for longer commitments.
• One-time Fees: Implementation, hardware shipping, and professional services fees apply at the start of the contract.

To deploy Masergy solutions, the following technical environment is generally required:

• Hardware: Masergy-provided Edge devices (versatile SD-WAN appliances) or certified third-party hardware (e.g., Fortinet, Silver Peak).
• Local Access: Reliable local loops (Fiber, Ethernet, or high-quality Broadband) at each site.
• Power & Cooling: Standard rack space with adequate power and cooling for edge appliances.
• Browser: Modern web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge) for accessing the Intelligent Control Tower.
• Network Environment: Ability to support BGP or static routing for integration with the Masergy edge.
• Security Baseline: Existing security policies should be documented for translation into the Masergy SASE framework.

To successfully adopt Masergy’s solutions, organizations should meet several business prerequisites:

• Strategic Alignment on Managed Services: Leadership must be comfortable with a co-managed or fully managed model rather than a DIY approach to networking.
• Process Readiness: Internal IT processes for incident management and change requests should be aligned with Masergy’s support portal to ensure seamless communication.
• Stakeholder Buy-in: Network, Security, and Cloud teams must collaborate, as Masergy’s SASE approach blurs the traditional lines between these silos.
• Training Availability: While Masergy manages the infrastructure, internal staff will need time to learn the Intelligent Control Tower for visibility and analytics.
• Site Readiness: For physical site deployments, local contacts must be identified for hardware installation and local circuit handoffs.

A typical Masergy implementation follows these phases:

• Discovery & Design (2–4 weeks): Detailed site audits, bandwidth requirement analysis, and security policy mapping.
• Procurement & Provisioning (4–12 weeks): This phase is heavily dependent on local access circuit lead times. International sites can take longer. Masergy handles the carrier coordination.
• Configuration & Lab Testing (2 weeks): Building the SD-WAN edge configurations and security profiles in a staging environment.
• Deployment & Migration (Variable): Rolling out hardware to sites. Often done in waves (e.g., Pilot sites, then regional clusters).
• Training & Handover (1–2 weeks): Final walkthrough of the Control Tower and support protocols.
• Total Timeline: Most global deployments range from 3 to 6 months depending on the number of sites and local loop availability.

Masergy is known for its "white-glove" service approach:

• 24/7 Global NOC & SOC: Round-the-clock technical support from Network and Security Operations Centers located across the globe.
• Dedicated Account Management: Enterprise customers are typically assigned a dedicated Account Manager and Technical Account Manager (TAM).
• Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Industry-leading SLAs including 100% in-sequence packet delivery and proactive credits for downtime.
• Masergy University: An online portal providing training modules for administrators and end-users.
• Professional Services: Available for complex migrations, network design, and security audits.

Masergy offers robust integration capabilities designed for the modern enterprise:

• Cloud Service Providers (CSPs): Pre-built, private connections to AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and IBM Cloud via Masergy Cloud Connect.
• SaaS Optimization: Direct peering and optimization for major SaaS platforms like Salesforce, Microsoft 365, and Zoom.
• APIs: RESTful APIs are available for exporting performance and security data into third-party SIEMs (like Splunk) or ITSM platforms (like ServiceNow).
• Unified Communications: Deep integration with Cisco Webex and Microsoft Teams for voice and video optimization.
• Interoperability: Ability to integrate with existing legacy MPLS circuits during a phased migration to SD-WAN.

Masergy is built for highly regulated industries and maintains a rigorous security posture:

• Certifications: SOC 2 Type II compliant, PCI DSS compliant, and HIPAA ready for healthcare environments.
• Security Operations Center (SOC): 24/7 managed threat monitoring and incident response provided by certified security analysts.
• Data Privacy: GDPR compliant with strict data residency controls for global traffic.
• Zero Trust Architecture: Support for Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) to ensure secure remote work.
• Identity Management: Integrations with major IdPs (Identity Providers) like Okta and Azure AD for secure access control.