What do you do when growth outpaces your IT foundation? For a leading communications and marketing services provider, a major acquisition added six new sites and exposed just how fragmented their environment had become.
Each branch had its own legacy systems, its own vendors, and its own approach to security. The result was a patchwork network that slowed operations, created risk, and made it difficult to deliver consistent service to customers.
That is where Compugen came in. As their Technology Ally, we helped the organization take a step back, rethink their approach, and design a cloud-first secure access service edge (SASE) and Zero Trust environment built to scale. It was not a straight road from challenge to solution. There were detours, pivots, and a few unexpected obstacles. But by staying close to the customer, focusing on client experience, and bringing the right mix of technical expertise and persistence, we turned a high-pressure situation into a future-ready foundation.
The Challenge
The acquisition was like merging traffic from six different highways onto a single road with no signage. Each branch had its own systems, vendors, and policies. That created bottlenecks, inconsistent protections, and a lack of visibility across the enterprise.
The IT and Security teams faced clear pain points:
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Legacy infrastructure that could not scale or adapt to growth.
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Inconsistent security frameworks leaving gaps in protection.
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Multiple vendors and platforms adding management complexity.
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Limited visibility and control slowing service delivery and putting customer data at risk.
The organization needed a way to unify and modernize the environment before the cracks widened.
The Opportunity
The acquisition made it clear the status quo was no longer sustainable. Leadership recognized that growth demanded more than patchwork fixes — it required a cloud-first and Zero Trust approach that could handle new acquisitions without rebuilding from scratch each time.
This was an opportunity to:
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Replace siloed infrastructure with a standardised, cloud-first model.
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Build security into the foundation instead of layering it on after the fact.
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Simplify management so IT could spend less time fighting fires and more time supporting the business.
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Create a scalable environment ready to handle the next acquisition smoothly.
It was a chance to stop patching potholes and instead repave the road for long-term stability.
The Solution
Compugen performed a full network and security assessment and designed a new architecture anchored in four priorities:
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Simplify IT services by consolidating technologies and vendors, cutting down on unnecessary complexity.
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Standardize a cloud-first infrastructure to reduce hardware, improve agility, and avoid the cycle of refreshes and patching.
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Enhance the end-user experience with consistent connectivity, modern collaboration tools, and improved support.
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Enable rapid scalability so new sites could be onboarded quickly and safely.
Zero Trust security was embedded throughout, ensuring consistent policies across wired, wireless, and remote users while protecting sensitive data.
The journey was not without detours. An initial SASE solution from a market leader fell short of its promised capabilities. Instead of pressing forward with a poor fit, Compugen shifted lanes and recovered 98% of the customer’s initial investment — almost unheard of once hardware is unboxed — while validating a replacement solution through a rigorous proof of concept. The new SASE platform delivered:
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Broader protocol support to handle diverse traffic.
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Enterprise-grade security aligned to Zero Trust principles.
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Flexibility to grow alongside the business.
From there, Compugen decommissioned the first system, deployed the replacement, and embedded training and change management support so the IT team felt confident navigating their new environment.
The Outcome
Today, the organization operates on a uniform, cloud-first SASE and Zero Trust foundation. Think of it as replacing a patchwork of local roads with a consistent, well-marked highway system. The benefits are clear:
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Consistent security across all users, guests, BYOD, and IoT devices, regardless of location.
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Unified orchestration simplifying management of wired and wireless LANs, edge connectivity, and security.
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Stronger protection of corporate and sensitive customer data.
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Scalability without risk to handle future growth with confidence.
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Better end-user experience with reliable performance and modern collaboration capabilities.
The shift also reduced reliance on on-premises hardware, streamlining maintenance and freeing internal IT to focus on delivering value rather than patching systems.
The Future
The new environment is more than a fix — it is a repeatable model for what comes next. Future acquisitions can now be integrated faster, with less risk and less disruption. With a scalable, cloud-first, Zero Trust foundation in place, the business is positioned to explore new services, scale operations, and build resilience for the long haul.
The Relationship
What stood out to the customer was how Compugen handled the bumps along the way. When the first SASE deployment fell short, we did not walk away and leave them to sort it out. We stayed committed to their success, negotiated with vendors on their behalf, and escalated issues to the highest levels to ensure there was no sunk investment. We validated a better fit through proof of concept and stayed with them until the replacement was fully operational.
That dedication sets us apart. While many IT providers sell products and move on, Compugen stays until the customer was fully satisfied. For this customer, the difference is clear: other providers are transactional, Compugen is a true Technology Ally.
Modernization journeys rarely follow a straight line. With the right Technology Ally, you don’t have to navigate the twists and turns alone. Speak with Compugen today to learn how our cloud-first SASE and Zero Trust solutions can secure your business and set you up for the miles ahead.
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