ISG Provider Lens® Enterprise Managed Network Services - Managed Enterprise Connectivity Solutions (DIA, VoIP & VPN) - U.S. 2025

Effectively managing the provision and operations of advanced networks is critical for business success

The managed network services (MNS) sector, where companies outsource all or parts of their networks to specialized providers, has undergone notable changes over the last decade. Initially geared toward basic underlay connectivity and efficient operations and maintenance, it now offers a wide array of services addressing the intricacies of modern ICT infrastructures. Present-day MNS includes management of underlay networks, network security, cloud linkage and software-defined networking. The growing need for strong security solutions, such as secure access service edge (SASE) or security service edge (SSE), where SD-WAN networks are already in place, together with regulatory compliance, fuels the demand for MNS in an increasingly complex and challenging threat environment.

As businesses and government agencies navigate complex networks, MNS plays an essential role. The continuous evolution of digital infrastructure, particularly AI-driven or assisted, motivated by the necessity for enhanced security and compliance with tighter regulations, provides an excellent environment for MNS, network as a service (NaaS) and network service providers to flourish. The adoption of new technologies, such as AI and generative AI (GenAI), further accelerates this transformation, adding layers of complexity that require specialized knowledge and expertise that many enterprises may struggle to quickly acquire.

Several key factors contribute to rapid changes in enterprise networks, particularly in the U.S., in 2025:

Challenges and MNS solutions for enterprise networks

Modern businesses encounter numerous network challenges:

• Network diversity: Seamlessly integrating various network types (core, cloud and edge) across fixed, mobile, satellite, public or private environments

• Performance and reliability: Ensuring optimal performance and consistent stability across all network areas

• Cost management: Balancing expenses while achieving effective and secure network operations

• Regulatory compliance: Complying with strict data privacy and security regulations, such as HIPAA, CCPA and GDPR

• Technological upgrades: Keeping pace with rapid technological advancements and updates in a fast-paced realworld environment

• Wireless and cloud integration: Enabling secure cloud migration and supporting a mobile workforce or wireless office or branch, including implementing private 5G networks or Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity as needed

• End point and industrial sensor Integration: Handling the influx of IoT/IIoT devices, including sensors and their associated security concerns

• Skill set requirements: Training existing employees and hiring new talent with expertise in advanced technologies and services at the required pace

• Vendor management: Coordinating with multiple vendors to ensure smooth network management across multiple technology domains

• Providing management visibility: Providing orchestration and management information systems as robustly and accurately as possible, across all technology domains, to inform enterprise decision makers in a timely manner concerning routine or non-routine situations, especially those potentially affecting the business strategically and tactically

MNS providers address these challenges by offering a comprehensive range of services, categorized into three main business areas:

1. Evolution of MNS

MNS providers manage everything from network equipment provision, setup, operations and management to ongoing monitoring. Their services ensure robust security with firewalls, audits, data protection measures, and advanced intrusion detection or prevention systems (IDS/IPS). They offer fully and comanaged models, which include:

• Network setup, operations, management and monitoring: Ensuring continuous network stability and security with effective reporting

• Security maintenance: Implementing firewalls, performing audits, ensuring data protection, and deploying IDS/IPS and SASE or SEE as required

• Network upgrades: Providing regular updates and specialized support

• Flexible options (take over and convert existing networks, comanage and fully manage): Offering flexible options to allow the management of existing networks, possibly with future upgrade plans focused on specific parts like LAN, WAN, cloud and security, with comanaged or fully managed delivery possibilities

• Consulting or advisory services: Providing strategic guidance for network upgrades, organizational change, business application integration and consolidation to improve enterprise outcomes

2. Enterprise managed connectivity solutions (DIA, VoIP and VPN)

For companies not fully adopting cloud or software-based networks, Direct Internet Access (DIA), Voice over IP (VoIP) and virtual private networks (VPNs), managed services from trusted providers remain essential for specific solutions, such as:

• Private and virtual networks: Offering extensive control and security to meet varied network requirements

• Remote access and device management: Facilitating secure and effective remote work management

• System design and implementation: Tailoring networks to align with specific business needs

• Configuration and monitoring: Ensuring network settings and performance are optimized

• Bandwidth and UX: Providing adequate bandwidth and enhancing user satisfaction

3. Network as a service (NaaS)

NaaS empowers businesses to access enhanced networking capabilities without handling infrastructure upkeep or committing to lengthy, inflexible contracts, providing the following:

• On-demand connectivity: Delivering flexible and scalable network options

• Pay-as-you-use model: Billing based on actual service and bandwidth usage

• Expert management: Entrusting routine network tasks to expert providers

• Application assurance and cybersecurity: Securing and optimizing application functionality; may involve utilizing security operations centers (SOCs) or cyber defense centers

• Multicloud services: Enabling smooth multicloud integration, from core systems to edge operations

The MNS sector is crucial for U.S. businesses managing the intricacies of modern ICT systems. By delivering a broad range of services, including network security, cloud integration and support for new technologies, MNS providers help businesses concentrate on their primary functions while ensuring reliable network performance and security. Continued growth and evolution of MNS offerings, propelled by technological progress and increasing cyberthreat complexity, highlight the sector’s strategic importance in the digital economy.

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