Cisco Meraki: benefits of cloud-managed networking

Cisco Meraki is Cisco's cloud-managed portfolio, acquired in 2012. Unlike traditional Catalyst products, it is managed entirely through the Meraki cloud dashboard (meraki.cisco.com), with no CLI. It is ideal for multi-site SMBs and mid-sized enterprises without local IT teams. Complete guide to the portfolio, licenses, benefits, and limitations.

Meraki portfolio

MS — Switches

• MS120/125: entry-level campus, 24/48 1G ports, PoE+ — €890-€2,890 excl. VAT
• MS210/225: mid-range campus, PoE+, 10G uplinks — €1,890-€4,890 excl. VAT
• MS250/350: high performance, stacking, 10G/40G — €3,490-€8,900 excl. VAT
• MS410/425/450: aggregation/data center core, 10/40/100G — €8,500-€35,000 excl. VAT

MR — WiFi access points

• MR36/MR46: indoor 2×2/4×4 WiFi 6 — €390-€890 excl. VAT
• MR56/MR57: high-density tri-band WiFi 6E — €1,190-€1,490 excl. VAT
• MR76/MR86: outdoor IP67 WiFi 6/6E — €890-€1,290 excl. VAT

MX — SD-WAN firewalls

• MX67/MX68: SMBs, 500 Mbps-1 Gbps firewall throughput — €1,190-€2,490 excl. VAT
• MX75/MX85: branches, 1.5-2.5 Gbps — €3,490-€5,890 excl. VAT
• MX95/MX105/MX250: headquarters/data centers, 5-10 Gbps — €8,900-€24,900 excl. VAT
• MX450: 20 Gbps SD-WAN core — €42,000 excl. VAT

MV — IP cameras

• MV2/MV12/MV22: indoor, cloud storage — €590-€1,490 excl. VAT
• MV32: 360° fisheye — €2,490 excl. VAT
• MV72/MV82: outdoor IP66 — €1,890 excl. VAT

MT — IoT sensors

• MT10: temperature/humidity — €295 excl. VAT
• MT12: water detection — €395 excl. VAT
• MT14: air quality — €490 excl. VAT
• MT20: door/window contact sensor — €195 excl. VAT

Meraki licenses: a mandatory model

Unlike traditional Catalyst products, Meraki does NOT operate without an active license; otherwise, the hardware becomes unusable:

• Enterprise license (switches/APs): €130-€450 excl. VAT per device/year
• Advanced license (MX security): €890-€4,890 excl. VAT per year for each MX
• No perpetual license; renewal is mandatory

Meraki benefits

• A single multi-site cloud dashboard enables one administrator to manage 100+ sites
• Zero-Touch Provisioning: plug-and-play deployment using a QR code scan
• Orchestrated automatic updates
• SD-WAN Auto-VPN: automatically configured IPsec tunnels between MX appliances
• Advanced analytics covering top applications, clients, and utilization
• Comprehensive REST API for automation
• 24×7 Cisco TAC support included with the license

Limitations

• No CLI, which limits some troubleshooting capabilities
• Cloud dependency: if the Meraki cloud is unavailable, devices continue operating, but configuration changes cannot be made
• High TCO over 5-10 years due to recurring license fees
• Less flexible than Catalyst for advanced features such as complex BGP, VRF, and MPLS deployments
• No active-active HA support on MX; only active-passive is available

Meraki vs Catalyst: choosing the right platform

• Meraki: multi-site environments with little or no local IT presence and a need for simplicity
• Catalyst: centralized environments with a strong IT team and a need for advanced features or on-site compliance
• Hybrid: Catalyst at the core/data center and Meraki in branches/retail locations

Order from OPTINOC

Complete Meraki portfolio, available new with pre-activated licenses from OPTINOC. Turnkey dashboard configuration. Multi-site quote within 2 hours.