Exploring the Cisco Meraki MX Series A Comprehensive Guide

In today’s fast-paced digital world, businesses need reliable and efficient network solutions to stay ahead. As Cisco Meraki experts in London, we understand the importance of robust security, seamless integration, and user-friendly management for modern enterprises.

The Cisco Meraki MX series offers a range of features and capabilities designed to meet the diverse needs of businesses, ensuring that your network remains secure, scalable, and easy to manage. In this blog post, we’ll explore some key aspects of the MX series and how it can benefit your business.

Exploring the Cisco Meraki MX Series A Comprehensive Guide - Speedster IT

What are the key features of the Cisco Meraki MX series?

Table of Contents

The Cisco Meraki MX series is known for its robust security, seamless integration, and user-friendly management.  Cisco Meraki MX Series Key features Include: 

  • Advanced Threat Protection: The MX series includes features such as intrusion detection and prevention, content filtering, and malware protection to safeguard your network against potential threats.
  • Automatic Firmware Updates: The devices receive automatic firmware updates, ensuring that your network remains up-to-date with the latest security patches and features.
  • Centralized Cloud Management: The Meraki dashboard provides a centralized platform for managing your network, making it easy to configure settings, monitor performance, and receive alerts for potential issues.
  • SD-WAN Capabilities: The MX series supports Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) capabilities, allowing for efficient traffic management and improved network performance.
  • VPN Capabilities: The MX series offers robust VPN capabilities, including site-to-site VPN, client VPN, and Auto VPN, enabling secure remote access and seamless connectivity between different locations.
  • Traffic Shaping and QoS: The MX series includes traffic shaping and Quality of Service (QoS) features to prioritize critical applications and manage bandwidth effectively.
  • Integration with Other Meraki Products: The MX series integrates seamlessly with other Meraki products, such as wireless access points, switches, and security cameras, allowing for centralized management and a cohesive network infrastructure.
  • Comprehensive Security Features: The MX series includes advanced security features such as SNORT®-based intrusion detection and prevention, Cisco Advanced Malware Protection (AMP), and granular content filtering.
  • Scalability: The MX series is designed to deliver high performance and scalability, with varying levels of throughput and support for multiple WAN connections.
  • Cloud-Managed Security and SD-WAN: The MX series are multifunctional security and SD-WAN enterprise appliances with a wide set of capabilities to address multiple use cases from an all-in-one device.

These features make the Cisco Meraki MX series a comprehensive solution for modern enterprises looking to enhance their network security, performance, and management capabilities.

How does the MX series support SD-WAN and security?

The MX series supports Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) capabilities, allowing for efficient traffic management and improved network performance.

Additionally, it offers comprehensive security features such as intrusion detection and prevention, content filtering, and malware protection.

These capabilities help safeguard your network against potential threats while optimizing performance.

What are the different models available in the MX family?

The MX family includes a variety of models to suit different business needs. From small branch offices to large enterprises, there is an MX model that fits your requirements.

Each model offers varying levels of throughput, VPN capabilities, and port configurations, ensuring that you can find the perfect solution for your network.

Cisco Meraki MX Series Models and Their Benefits

Cisco Meraki MX64 and MX65

Ideal for Small Businesses: These models are perfect for small businesses and branch offices. They offer essential security features and are cost-effective.

Benefits: Easy to deploy and manage, robust security, and support for up to 50 users. Industries: Retail, small offices, and professional services.

Cisco Meraki MX84

Mid-Sized Businesses: Suitable for mid-sized businesses that require more advanced features and higher performance.

Benefits: Enhanced security, higher throughput, and support for up to 200 users. Industries: Healthcare, education, and financial services.

Cisco Meraki MX100

Growing Enterprises: Designed for growing enterprises with higher performance needs. Benefits: High throughput, advanced security features, and support for up to 500 users. Industries: Manufacturing, logistics, and large retail chains.

Cisco Meraki MX250 and MX450

Large Enterprises: These models are built for large enterprises with complex network requirements. Benefits: Very high throughput, advanced security, and support for thousands of users. Industries: Large corporate offices, data centers, and multi-site organizations.

Cisco Meraki MX Series Benefits for Different Industries

Retail Benefits

Secure transactions, customer data protection, and seamless connectivity across multiple locations.

Healthcare Benefits

Secure patient data, compliance with regulations, and reliable network performance for critical applications.

Education Benefits

Secure access to educational resources, support for remote learning, and easy management of multiple campuses.

Financial Services Benefits

High security for sensitive financial data, compliance with industry regulations, and reliable network performance.

Manufacturing Benefits

Secure and reliable connectivity for production lines, support for IoT devices, and centralized management.

Logistics Benefits

Secure and efficient management of supply chain networks, real-time tracking, and reliable connectivity.

These models and their benefits make the Cisco Meraki MX series a versatile solution for various business needs and industries in London.

If you need more detailed information or have specific requirements, feel free to ask! Call us on 0204 511 9111

What are the licensing requirements for the Cisco Meraki MX series?

The MX series requires a valid license to operate. Licenses are available in different tiers, offering various levels of support and features.

It’s important to choose the right license for your business needs to ensure you have access to the necessary capabilities and support. We can advise on this for you.

Cisco Meraki MX Series Licensing Overview

Cisco Meraki MX Series Enterprise License

  • Features: Basic security, centralized management, automatic firmware updates, and 24/7 enterprise support.
  • Ideal for: Small to mid-sized businesses that need essential security and management features.

Cisco Meraki MX Series Advanced Security License

  • Features Includes all Enterprise License features plus advanced security features such as intrusion detection and prevention (IDS/IPS), content filtering, and advanced malware protection (AMP).
  • Ideal for Businesses that require enhanced security measures to protect sensitive data and comply with industry regulations.

Cisco Meraki MX Series SD-WAN Plus License

  • Features: Includes all Advanced Security License features plus SD-WAN capabilities, traffic shaping, and Quality of Service (QoS) features.
  • Ideal for: Large enterprises and organizations with multiple locations that need efficient traffic management and optimized network performance.

Cisco Meraki MX Series License Breakdown by Models and User Requirements

Small Businesses and Branch Offices

  • Cisco Meraki MX Series Models: MX64, MX65, MX67, MX68
  • Recommended License: Enterprise License or Advanced Security License
  • Benefits: Cost-effective, easy to deploy and manage, robust security, and support for up to 50 users.
  • Industries: Retail, small offices, and professional services.

Mid-Sized Businesses

  • Cisco Meraki MX Series Models: MX84, MX85
  • Recommended License: Advanced Security License or SD-WAN Plus License
  • Benefits: Enhanced security, higher throughput, and support for up to 200 users.
  • Industries: Healthcare, education, and financial services.

Growing Enterprises

  • Cisco Meraki MX Series Models: MX100, MX105
  • Recommended License: Advanced Security License or SD-WAN Plus License
  • Benefits: High throughput, advanced security features, and support for up to 500 users.
  • Industries: Manufacturing, logistics, and large retail chains.

Large Enterprises

  • Cisco Meraki MX Series Models: MX250, MX450
  • Recommended License: SD-WAN Plus License
  • Benefits: Very high throughput, advanced security, and support for thousands of users.
  • Industries: Large corporate offices, data centers, and multi-site organizations.

Cisco Meraki MX Series Key Features Across Licenses

  • Centralized Management: Manage your entire network from a single dashboard.
  • Automatic Firmware Updates: Ensure your network remains up-to-date with the latest security patches and features.
  • 24/7 Enterprise Support: Access to round-the-clock support for any issues.
  • Advanced Security: Intrusion detection and prevention, content filtering, and advanced malware protection.
  • SD-WAN Capabilities: Efficient traffic management and improved network performance.
  • Traffic Shaping and QoS: Prioritize critical applications and manage bandwidth effectively.

These licenses provide flexibility and scalability to meet the diverse needs of businesses in London, ensuring that you have the right level of support and features for your network requirements.

If you need more detailed information or have specific requirements, feel free to ask us ! 0204 511 9111

How Does The Cisco Meraki MX Series Handle Traffic Shaping And Qos?

The MX series includes traffic shaping and Quality of Service (QoS) features to prioritize critical applications and manage bandwidth effectively.

These features help ensure that important traffic, such as VoIP and video conferencing, receives the necessary bandwidth for optimal performance, while less critical traffic is managed accordingly.

What are the VPN capabilities of the Cisco Meraki MX Series?

The MX series offers robust VPN capabilities, including site-to-site VPN, client VPN, and Auto VPN. These features enable secure remote access and seamless connectivity between different locations.

The Auto VPN feature simplifies the setup process, making it easy to establish secure connections without complex configurations.

Cisco Meraki Experts in London Speedster IT

How Does The MX Series Integrate With Other Meraki Products?

The MX series integrates seamlessly with other Meraki products, such as wireless access points, switches, and security cameras. This integration allows for centralized management and a cohesive network infrastructure.

The Meraki dashboard provides a single pane of glass for monitoring and managing all your Meraki devices, simplifying network administration.

How Does The MX Series Integrate With Other 3rd Party Products - Speedster IT

How Does The MX Series Integrate With Other 3rd Party Products?

The Cisco Meraki MX series integrates seamlessly with various third-party products, enhancing its versatility and functionality. Such as wireless access points, switches, and security cameras.

This integration allows for centralized management and a cohesive network infrastructure. The MX series supports integration with third-party security and network management tools. This includes compatibility with various VPN solutions, allowing for secure remote access and connectivity between different locations.

Additionally, the MX series can work with third-party content filtering and malware protection services, providing an extra layer of security for your network.

These integrations make the Cisco Meraki MX series a flexible and powerful solution for businesses looking to enhance their network infrastructure with third-party products.

What Are The Hardware Specifications For Each MX Model?

Each MX model comes with specific hardware specifications, including CPU, memory, and port configurations.

These specifications vary depending on the model, ensuring that you can choose the right device for your network’s performance requirements.

Sure, you can find the detailed hardware specifications for the Cisco Meraki MX series on the Cisco Meraki website. Here are some key points from the datasheets:

Hardware Specifications Cisco Meraki MX64 and MX65

  • Dual WAN uplinks: Yes (With LAN conversion)
  • Backup Cellular Uplink: Via 3rd Party USB Modem
  • Built-in 802.11ac Wireless capability: Available in Wireless models (MX64W / MX65W) Built-in PoE+ capabilities: Available in MX65 only
  • Firewall throughput: Up to 250 Mbps VPN throughput: Up to 100 Mbps

Hardware Specifications Cisco Meraki MX67 and MX68

  • Dual WAN uplinks: Yes
  • Built-in Cellular CAT 6 LTE Uplink: Available in Cellular models (MX67C / MX68CW)
  • Built-in 802.11ac Wireless capability: Available in Wireless models (MX67W / MX68CW) Built-in PoE+ capabilities: Available in MX68 only
  • Firewall throughput: Up to 450 Mbps VPN throughput: Up to 200 Mbps

Hardware Specifications Cisco Meraki MX84

  • Dual WAN uplinks: Yes
  • Firewall throughput: Up to 500 Mbps
  • VPN throughput: Up to 250 Mbps
  • Ports: 10 x GbE (8 x LAN, 2 x WAN)

Hardware Specifications Cisco Meraki MX100

  • Dual WAN uplinks: Yes
  • Firewall throughput: Up to 750 Mbps
  • VPN throughput: Up to 500 Mbps
  • Ports: 10 x GbE (8 x LAN, 2 x WAN)

Hardware Specifications Cisco Meraki MX250 and MX450

  • Dual WAN uplinks: Yes
  • Firewall throughput: MX250: Up to 4 Gbps, MX450: Up to 6 Gbps
  • VPN throughput: MX250: Up to 1 Gbps, MX450: Up to 2 Gbps
  • Ports: MX250: 8 x GbE, 8 x SFP+, MX450: 8 x GbE, 8 x SFP+, 2 x QSFP+

How Does The MX Series Ensure Network Security And Threat Protection?

The Cisco Meraki MX series ensures network security and threat protection through a comprehensive suite of advanced security features.

These include intrusion detection and prevention (IDS/IPS), content filtering, and advanced malware protection (AMP). The MX series leverages SNORT®-based IDS/IPS to detect and block malicious traffic, while AMP provides real-time threat intelligence and automated malware detection.

Additionally, the MX series supports automatic firmware updates, ensuring that your network is always protected with the latest security patches and features. Centralized cloud management through the Meraki dashboard allows for easy monitoring and management of security settings, providing a robust and user-friendly solution for safeguarding your network against potential threats.

What Are The Deployment Options For The MX Series In Different Environments?

The Cisco Meraki MX series offers a range of flexible deployment options to suit various environments, ensuring that businesses of all sizes can benefit from its robust features.

Whether you need a solution for a small branch office, a large office, or a remote location, the MX series can be deployed to meet your specific needs.

For small branch offices, the MX series can be deployed as the main edge firewall, providing essential security and network management features.

This setup is ideal for businesses that require a cost-effective and easy-to-manage solution. In larger business environments, the MX series can be deployed as a concentrator device in a data centre.

This allows for centralized management and seamless integration with other network components, ensuring efficient traffic management and enhanced security across multiple buildings and floors.

For remote locations, the MX series supports cloud-based deployment, providing the flexibility to manage and monitor the network from anywhere. This is particularly beneficial for businesses with remote employees or multiple branch offices, as it allows for consistent security policies and network performance across all locations.

Additionally, the MX series supports various operational modes, including Routed (NAT) Mode and Passthrough or VPN Concentrator Mode. Routed mode is best used when the MX device will be connecting directly to your internet demarcation point, while Passthrough mode is ideal for scenarios where the MX device acts as a VPN concentrator, providing secure connectivity between different sites.

Overall, the Cisco Meraki MX series offers versatile deployment options that can be tailored to meet the unique requirements of different environments, providing scalability, security for businesses of all sizes.

How Does The MX Series Perform In Terms Of Scalability? - Speedster IT

How Does The MX Series Perform In Terms Of Scalability?

The Cisco Meraki MX series is designed to seamlessly scale with your network, accommodating the growing demands of your business.

This scalability ensures that your network can grow and adapt to meet the evolving needs of your organization, whether you are expanding operations, adding new applications, or increasing the number of users.

One of the key strengths of the MX series is its ability to handle high data throughput and support a large number of concurrent connections. The devices are equipped with advanced hardware specifications, including powerful CPUs, ample memory, and multiple port configurations.

These features ensure that the MX series can efficiently manage increased traffic and maintain optimal performance even as your network grows.

Why Choose Speedster IT Cisco Meraki Experts?

Choosing Speedster IT Cisco Meraki Experts ensures that you receive top-notch implementation and management services for your Cisco Meraki products.

Our team of experts in London is dedicated to providing personalized support and tailored solutions to meet your specific business needs.

We leverage our extensive experience and knowledge to optimize your network performance, enhance security, and ensure seamless connectivity.

By partnering with Speedster IT, you can focus on your core business operations while we take care of your IT infrastructure.

Our proactive monitoring and 24/7 support ensure that any issues are resolved promptly, minimizing disruption to your business.

We offer comprehensive managed services that include network optimization, security enhancements, and cloud management, all designed to help your business thrive.

Ready To Take Your Network To The Next Level? 

Contact Speedster IT today to learn more about how our Cisco Meraki experts can benefit your business. Call us on 0204 511 9111 or visit our service page for more information.