ISG to Evaluate Managed Network Services Providers

Upcoming ISG Provider Lens™ study will evaluate providers helping enterprises improve the overall performance of their IT infrastructure and systems

Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm, has launched a research study evaluating providers of managed network services, including those that integrate AI and automation to manage increasingly complex networks.

The study results will be published in a comprehensive series of ISG Provider Lens™ reports, called Managed Network Services 2024, scheduled to be released in December. Three regional reports will evaluate services including wide area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), direct internet access (DIA), voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and virtual private networks (VPNs), together with the provisioning of network-as-a-service (NaaS) offerings.

Enterprise buyers will be able to use information from the reports to evaluate their current vendor relationships, potential new engagements and available offerings, while ISG advisors use the information to recommend providers to the firm’s buy-side clients.

Enterprises are seeking support from managed network services (MNS) providers to take over their existing network operations while transforming them into strong, flexible and advanced enterprise infrastructures. Advances in network function virtualization (NFV) and AI-based technologies and the widespread use of diverse mobile, branch and edge devices are further boosting the growth of the MNS market, ISG says.

“Experienced managed network services providers are using AI-based solutions and automation tools to enhance network monitoring, troubleshooting and optimization,” said Heiko Henkes, managing director of ISG Provider Lens Research. “They, along with network operators, also offer advanced networks through as-a-service models, allowing enterprises to consume capacity as needed in a highly flexible manner.”

For the study, ISG has distributed surveys to nearly 130 providers of managed network services. Working in collaboration with ISG’s global advisors, the research team will produce three quadrants representing the services and solutions the typical enterprise is buying based on ISG’s experience working with its clients. The three quadrants are:

• Managed Network Services, evaluating providers helping enterprises evaluate, plan, upgrade and provision network services, including multiprotocol label switching (MPLS)/IP WAN or LAN services, fully managed WLAN and branch installations, edge points of presence (PoPs), managed firewalls and security. Services include setting up, replacing or upgrading installations; managing and monitoring remote operations, and undertaking fault diagnosis, configuration management, update and patch management and disaster recovery.

• Managed DIA, VPN and VoIP Services, covering service providers that offer fully managed DIA, VPN and VoIP services, either bundled or as individual offerings. DIA offers dedicated links to internet service providers to ensure high-quality and reliable connectivity; VoIP, when paired with high-speed broadband and 5G networks, offers more stable connections for calls and high-quality video conferences, and VPN offers secure and efficient connectivity for enterprises and their remote workforces.

• Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) Offerings, examining providers of NaaS, which combines flexible cloud computing with modern security models such as zero trust network access (ZTNA) to deliver advanced network and security solutions to enterprises. NaaS allows on-demand provisioning through a pay-as-you-go model, effectively meeting the evolving demands of SaaS and various cloud platforms, including edge computing.

Geographically focused reports from the study will cover the global managed network services market and examine offerings available in the U.S., Europe and Asia Pacific (which for this report covers Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and India). ISG analysts Kenn Walters (U.S. and Europe) and Yash Jethani (Asia Pacific) will serve as authors of the reports.

A list of identified providers and vendors and further details on the study are available in this digital brochure. Companies not listed as managed services providers can contact ISG and ask to be included in the study.

All 2024 ISG Provider Lens™ evaluations feature expanded customer experience (CX) data that measures actual enterprise experience with specific provider services and solutions, based on ISG’s continuous CX research. Enterprise customers wishing to share their experience about a specific provider or vendor are encouraged to register here to receive a personalized survey URL. Participants will receive a copy of this report in return for their feedback.

About ISG Provider Lens™ Research

The ISG Provider Lens™ Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG's global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG's enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the U.K., France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, the Nordics, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.

About ISG

ISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 900 clients, including more than 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including AI and automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs 1,600 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countries—a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry’s most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com.

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