One network strategy. Multiple paths to SASE.

How Lumen Secure Router, SD‑WAN and SASE work together by design

Enterprise networks are evolving rapidly. Applications are distributed across data centers, public clouds and SaaS platforms. Users work from offices, homes and hybrid environments. At the same time, the threat landscape continues to expand, increasing the need for visibility, protection, control and resilience at the network edge.

In response, many enterprises are aligning to SD‑WAN and SASE architectures as the long‑term model for secure, policy‑driven connectivity. At Lumen, this direction is central to our strategy. Our SASE portfolio is designed to help customers securely connect users, applications and data wherever they reside.

But enterprise networks are not built or modernized in a single step.

Different customers operate different architectures, support different application models, and adopt new capabilities at different points in time. That’s why our approach is to deliver solutions across the full spectrum of enterprise use cases, enabling customers to modernize with confidence while staying aligned to a common future. One way we do this is through our SASE Manager and Service Portal, which provide a centralized digital experience for configuring, managing, and supporting SASE services across the full lifecycle. Together, they help give customers clear visibility, operational control, and a seamless way to evolve network and security services as needs change—without disrupting the broader architecture.

One strategy, multiple paths

When customers purchase network services from Lumen—such as Internet On‑Demand, Dedicated Internet Access or IP VPN—they are often making decisions within a broader architectural context:

• How sites connect to applications hosted on‑prem, in the cloud or across multiple clouds
• How employees, partners and customers access those applications
• How operations are managed across distributed environments
• How security controls are applied consistently and effectively

For many environments, SD‑WAN or SASE is the right architectural choice. For others, there are specific scenarios where a secure, managed routing solution is the best fit—especially when combined with visibility, lifecycle services and a clear evolution path.

Introducing Lumen Secure Router

Lumen Secure Router is a next‑generation managed router designed for enterprises that need dependable networking today with built‑in flexibility for tomorrow, coupled with managed services.

This is why Lumen was named the 2025 Mplify SASE Service Provider of the Year for North America, recognizing our leadership in delivering full managed, network-native SASE solutions for enterprises. This award highlights our ability to provide strong professional and managed services across Day 0–2, including solution design, deployment and operations.

Secure Router, which is integrated into our IP VPN/MPLS backbone, is purpose‑built to terminate Lumen internet and IP VPN services, while bringing modern, software‑based capabilities to the network edge. It is delivered as a fully managed service, covering design, deployment, monitoring and ongoing operations.

With Lumen Secure Router, customers get:

• Managed Layer 3 routing with active/standby high availability.
• Proactive monitoring and automated ticketing.
• Application‑aware visibility through a single, centralized dashboard.
• End‑to‑end lifecycle managed services from a trained and specialist staff, from initial configuration to ongoing change management.

Security and transformation are integrated by design. Customers can:

• Enable optional next‑generation firewall capabilities—including IDS/IPS, antivirus and deep packet inspection—where deeper inspection is required.
• Evolve seamlessly to SD‑WAN or SASE using the same platform, management experience and underlying hardware when business needs change.

Where Secure Router delivers clear value

There are enterprise scenarios where Secure Router plays a critical role as part of an overall enterprise secure networking strategy.

Some sites are designed primarily to terminate Internet or IP VPN services, with predictable traffic flows and well‑defined performance requirements. Others operate in environments where architectural clarity and operational consistency are essential. Many organizations are also modernizing large installed bases of routers and want to standardize on a modern platform without introducing unnecessary disruption.

In these scenarios, customers are looking for:

• Reliable, high‑performance routing
• Visibility into site, circuit and application behavior
• Consistent operational control through managed services
• Security capabilities that align with the role of each site
• Confidence that today’s decisions align with long‑term SD‑WAN and SASE strategies

Secure Router is designed to deliver exactly that. Below shows how a modern enterprise can deploy a combination of our Secure Router, SD-WAN and SASE offerings to secure the different risks with purpose-built products.

A confident on‑ramp to SASE

SD‑WAN and SASE remain central to Lumen’s networking vision. We continue to invest in these architectures to support distributed applications, hybrid work and evolving security requirements.

At the same time, we recognize that enterprise networks are diverse by design.

Lumen Secure Router ensures that customers with specific routing‑centric use cases can deploy a modern, secure managed solution—while remaining fully aligned to a broader SD‑WAN and SASE strategy.

By offering Secure Routing, SD‑WAN and SASE on a common platform with integrated lifecycle services, Lumen enables customers to modernize with clarity, flexibility and confidence—at every stage of their journey.

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