Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs. Comcast SD-WAN (managed)

Core difference
Cisco: A platform you (or your MSP) operate; deepest control and policy.
Comcast: A fully managed service bundling circuits + SD-WAN (+ optional SASE) under one SLA.

What it is
Cisco: Enterprise SD-WAN software with controllers + edge devices you run/control.
Comcast: Provider-managed SD-WAN delivered on provider/uCPE or virtual edges over Comcast or third-party access.

Management model
Cisco: You operate via Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager.
Comcast: Comcast operates; you use a customer portal/self-service where allowed.

Underlay / circuits
Cisco: Bring any mix (broadband/5G/leased lines) from any ISP(s).
Comcast: Works over the top; often paired with Comcast access for simplicity.

Policy depth & customization
Cisco: Very granular policies, segmentation, advanced routing.
Comcast: Standardized provider profiles; customizations via service request and wait.

Security / SASE
Cisco: Integrates with Cisco security stack (Umbrella, Secure Firewall, ISE) on your terms.
Comcast: Managed SASE options using a provider-curated stack.

Cloud & SaaS on-ramps
Cisco: App-aware routing + cloud gateways with deep telemetry.
Comcast: Provider fabric/gateways; visibility through the portal.

Routing depth
Cisco: Advanced BGP/OSPF, multi-topology, fine traffic engineering.
Comcast: Solid enterprise routing; fewer deep-tuning knobs.

Deployment speed
Cisco: ZTP + templates; speed depends on your ops readiness.
Comcast: Provider stages/rolls sites; fast for large branch sets.

Incident response
Cisco: Your team triages and escalates (Cisco TAC/ISPs) as needed.
Comcast: Comcast NOC handles incidents and carrier escalations under SLA.

Change management
Cisco: You push policy/QoS/routing/segmentation changes on demand.
Comcast: Changes via tickets or limited self-service; executed per SLA windows.

Upgrades / patching
Cisco: You plan and perform software/firmware updates.
Comcast: Provider plans and executes upgrades during maintenance windows which can require waiting at times.

Security upkeep
Cisco: You own rulesets (FW/IDS/URL/DNS) and keep them current.
Comcast: Provider maintains security profiles; custom asks go through change control.

Visibility & data access
Cisco: Full telemetry (vAnalytics), logs, and APIs you control.
Comcast: Portal views/reports; raw data/APIs per contract.

Licensing & TCO
Cisco: Hardware + subscriptions; higher control—model multi-year TCO.
Comcast: Monthly service fees; requires OpEx including management.

Scale & segmentation
Cisco: Excels in complex, multi-domain segmentation at scale.
Comcast: Excels in large, relatively uniform branch footprints.

Compliance posture
Cisco: You control change windows, data paths, and residency.
Comcast: Rely on provider attestations and shared controls.

Vendor lock-in
Cisco: Lower (multi-ISP underlay, your ops).
Comcast: Higher (service terms, provider hardware/portal).

Best fit
Cisco: You want maximum control/flexibility.
Comcast: Choose when you want a provider-run SD-WAN with a single SLA. Comcast monitors 24×7, performs software/firmware updates and security patches, and executes configuration changes via ticket or (in co-managed offers) allows limited self-service in the portal—scope depends on your contract.