Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches vs Meraki MX comparison

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches and Meraki MX based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, HPE Aruba Networking, Ubiquiti Networks and others in Ethernet Switches.
To learn more, read our detailed Ethernet Switches Report (Updated: April 2024).
769,789 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Q&A Highlights
Question: How to integrate Meraki MX Security appliances with other Switch brands?
Answer: With a good diagram and keeping in mind the whole routing part, it is really simple configuration, I have no knowledge on Alcatel switches but you will not have any problems for compatibility ...
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The new web graphical interface is much better than before. We now have easy access to the command lines. They're all functional.""We are able to customize this solution based on the customer's requirements.""The fibre ports that are 10 Gb capacity helped with the travel of a lot of regular as well as video data. Fibre can handle a lot more virtual data than copper twisted-pair, so we got a lot more data and a lot more traffic signals back through the fibre ports, faster, than with copper.""Enables direct access to clusters.""OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches' best features are it's easy to deploy, manage, and maintain, with services coming through one vendor.""It's easy to extend the stack, We don't use the smaller switches, but it's going well for the rest.""This is a dependable switch which will help you sleep at night.""The solution has a very good web interface. It makes it easy to manage everything."

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"​It is very easy to configure.​""In general, Meraki MX is easy to work with.""Dual WAN connections are greatly simplified and point-to-point VPNs automatically connect regardless of what WAN connection is active.""Traffic Shaping: The device lets you decide how you want to use your internet services. Due to the fact that Meraki can accept dual WAN, you can decide the way you balance the data traffic.""When you try to create an IP or when you have an alert about when a website is banned, these features are helpful.""MX is easy to manage, configure and install.""Managed centrally over the web: You can manages all your Meraki devices in a single account.""The initial setup for me was straightforward."

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Cons
"OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches would be improved if cloud-based technology was provided in the Gulf region.""I find the CLI hard to use. I wish we could do more in the GUI interface.""The network connection should be improved.""technical support response time is sometimes very slow.""The product would be better if it were completely compatible with other switching products.""In future versions, I would like to see improvements in networking speed.""I could see them possibly creating a more intuitive software. It's very user-friendly, but there are some things that aren't very intuitive when programming the switches.""There needs to be better integration with the interface."

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"I do not have the kind of feature I need for SSL decryption in Meraki MX. It would be great to see the SSL decryption feature in Meraki MX.""The product doesn't support route summarization and BGP dynamic routing protocol.""It is very expensive.""We had minor issues with Meraki MX. We had a couple of RMAs, so that could be an area for improvement, but in terms of how the RMAs went, the turnaround time and getting those back into redeployment were quick. Another area for improvement in Meraki MX is that when you're scaling for multiple locations, you need to use the same model, but the model you'd need is only available for a short time. The specific model you require could be out of stock, or Meraki isn't making that model anymore, so Meraki should improve that.""From the improvement perspective, we need more monitoring capabilities. We want to have full-based access visibility, such as, what is happening when something is trying to reach and it is denying. We cannot see some parts of it. The integration of active directory with this product is not very fruitful. It has some bugs or lacks in the functionality of active directory integration. We are unable to identify where exactly and whether it has really applied our policy.""Pricing is an area where the solution lacks since it is an expensive tool.""Meraki MX can come across as an expensive solution.""It would be nice if the different services, including the SIEM SOC and endpoint detection and response (EDR) were integrated into one, so that I don't have to go to different vendors for different services."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The pricing is reasonable compared to Aruba and HPE."
  • "The licensing for OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is a one-time purchase with no additional costs."
  • "It is an expensive solution."
  • More Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "It can always improve pricewise regarding throughput."
  • "It is more expensive than other solutions, but it is a cloud-managed network solution and support is given at the moment you call. That give a very big plus."
  • "The Meraki UTM is excellent when you buy the Advanced Security license. If you buy a different license you lost all the valuable functions."
  • "Pricing varies as per the type of license."
  • "Meraki is also expensive, but it's a little bit less expensive and it's easier to configure than Cisco ASA."
  • "The price varies depending on the hardware platform as well as the type of license and whether you're adding security or not."
  • "The license cost depends on the box. We acquired a different product line. We are dealing with MX appliance now, that is, MX6, MX54, MX100, MX250, MX450. Every box has got an identity, and it has got its own specification. Every box has got a different license fee. We deployed Meraki MX in UAE when it was not a mature product. We took a risk, but we were successful. We saved a huge amount of money after implementing and removing all the MPLS and leased lines. We got a broadband connection because Meraki MX could work on a broadband connection. We have drastically saved a very good amount of money, which was one of the successful things apart from the successful solution."
  • "The price is slightly increased, but reasonable."
  • More Meraki MX Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Answers from the Community
    Anonymous User
    it_user582948 - PeerSpot reviewerit_user582948 (Product Manager at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees)
    Vendor

    I did some investigation with our partners at Cisco Meraki and received the following response:

    The Meraki MX firewall will work with Alcatel Lucent as the Meraki MX leverages standard VLAN technologies and 802.1q trunks. There is no integration between the two so they will be managed separately, but will work together.

    The disconnect would be the management and the visibility as this would require two management screens.

    Meraki MX + Meraki MS switching together will provide a single view and a single management platform as well as capabilities to use group policies across the FW and the switches, and will cut down on troubleshooting time with tools like Meraki Auto Topology, Cable testing .. etc.

    Hope this helps !

    it_user605313 - PeerSpot reviewerit_user605313 (Works)
    Vendor

    I don't think there is an issue considering Meraki MX understands Trunks and VLANS.

    it_user637995 - PeerSpot reviewerit_user637995 (Network Administrator with 1,001-5,000 employees)
    Vendor

    Hi,

    The Meraki routers/firewalls technologies interface with any kind of Networking device.

    Best regards,
    Sadjy SADJAN

    EricHe - PeerSpot reviewerEricHe
    Real User

    Meraki MX is a firewall which is compatible with any switches. it is managed via the Meraki cloud make it more convenient to configure and manage.

    it_user701874 - PeerSpot reviewerit_user701874 (President at a tech services company with 51-200 employees)
    Consultant

    To further simplify, the Meraki line, in addition to the MX series includes Wifi access points, switches, surveillance cameras and VoIP telephone. All of the above (as components can be used alone or mix-and-match) are managed through a single "pane of glass" web interface. It is a very productive way to completely manage all of your network infrastructure in an intuitive GUI that helps rather than hinders your ability to monitor, troubleshoot and remedy issues. The Business Analytics that are generated, help you explain to management exactly what is going on in the network, and provide the security and policy administration you need to be consistent.

    it_user698622 - PeerSpot reviewerit_user698622 (Advisory Consultant at SCIS SECURITY)
    MSP

    It's the same networking stack concepts across. The only difference is Meraki has a GUI and your switches, I guess don't. I'm assuming by integrate you're probably looking at some form of VLAN extending and assigning management IP's, Just ensure everything matches the VLAN ID tags in general. I'm not sure what else you need-- ether channeling perhaps? More detail is required as Akshay says.

    Alex D - PeerSpot reviewerAlex D
    Real User

    Hi,

    How is the network diagram that you have builded to integrate?

    it_user627312 - PeerSpot reviewerit_user627312 (Co-Founder with 51-200 employees)
    User

    Hi,

    We haven’t implemented the Meraki security appliances to date although I can’t imagine this being too daunting a task. We have been a large advocate for the Meraki Wi-Fi solutions. I would highly recommend engaging CISCO directly to ensure your colleague understands how the integration would work. We will happily assist if he is interested in our help, but we’d be learning this solution together; having said that we would also do this service at a reduced rate because of the learning curve associated with the deployment.

    Hope this helps somewhat.

    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:The new web graphical interface is much better than before. We now have easy access to the command lines. They're all functional.
    Top Answer:We have Meraki Mx devices now, we are looking to replace them. But that is because the Meraki MX platform lacks SSL Inspection, Granular Firewall rules (Block only, no allow setting), client vpn… more »
    Top Answer: Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) software is the operating software for the Cisco ASA suite. It supports network security and firewall options. We researched both Meraki and ASA. We liked… more »
    Top Answer:Meraki equipment requires a current license in order to operate. This also gets you hardware replacement and tech support while the license is current. Fortigate requires a current license for… more »
    Ranking
    21st
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    Average Words per Review
    259
    Rating
    8.3
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    2,387
    Reviews
    16
    Average Words per Review
    426
    Rating
    7.8
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Alcatel Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches, Alcatel-Lucent Ethernet Switches, OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches
    MX64, MX64W, MX84, MX100, MX400, MX600
    Learn More
    Overview

    The Alcatel Lucent ethernet switches are fully managed and run on the widely deployed & field-proven Alcatel-Lucent operating system offering high security, reliability, performance and easy management. These switches are designed to operate in extended temperatures, offer higher EMI/EMC tolerance and surge protection.

    Cisco Meraki MX appliances are next-generation firewalls with all the advanced security services needed for today’s IT security. The appliances are ideal for organizations considering a unified threat management (UTM) solution for branch offices, data centers, distributed sites, or campuses. Since Meraki MX is 100% cloud-managed, installation and remote management are simple and zero-touch.

    Meraki MX’s hardware and virtual appliances are configurable in Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud Platform, and private cloud support is offered through Cisco NFVIS and Alibaba Cloud.

    Organizations of all sizes and across all industries rely on Meraki MX to deliver secure connectivity to hub locations or multi-cloud environments, as well as application quality of experience (QoE) through advanced analytics with machine learning.

    Cisco Meraki’s advanced QoE analytics offers:

    • End-to-end health of web applications at a glance across the LAN, WAN, and application server.
    • Autonomous machine-learned smart application thresholds applied to identify true anomalies that are based on past behavioral patterns.
    • Ability to monitor the health of all MX WAN links across an entire organization.
    • Ability to detail hop-by-hop VoIP performance analysis across all uplinks.

    Cisco Meraki’s SD-WAN offers:

    The Meraki MX’s SD-WAN is unique in that it can be easily extended to deliver optimized access to resources in public and private cloud environments with virtual MX appliances. Its SD-WAN lowers operational costs and improves the performance of remotely-accessed resources. Users can ensure the availability of the apps and services their employees use most through dynamic path selection, policy-based routing, support for application-layer profiles, and VPN.

    Meraki MX offers industry-leading cloud management that has template-based settings which can scale easily from small deployments to tens of thousands of devices. It features an intuitive web-based dashboard for managing mobile devices, united firewalls, switching, and wireless LAN. Users can also benefit from role-based administration, configurable email alerts for a variety of important events, and easily auditable change logs. Meraki MX is capable of producing summary reports with device, user, and application details archived in the cloud.

    Meraki MX Key Features

    MX has a robust suite of network services in an all-in-one device, which saves you money by eliminating the need for multiple appliances. These services include:

    • SD-WAN capabilities
    • SNORT®-based intrusion detection and prevention
    • Layer 7 fingerprinting
    • Web caching
    • Application-based firewalling
    • Anti-malware
    • Geo-based firewalling
    • Content filtering
    • Site-to-site auto VPN and client VPN
    • Web search filtering
    • Cisco Advanced Malware Protection (AMP)
    • 4G cellular failover
    • Dynamic path selection
    • Web application health and VoIP health

    Reviews from Real Users

    Meraki MX stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its easy management and its ability to be accessed remotely. Below is some feedback from PeerSpot users who are currently using Meraki MX as their firewall security solution.

    Craig B., a central services engineer at Liberty Technology, writes, “The web console for managing everything keeps everything on Meraki and keeps us from going somewhere else. It is why I think a lot of people like Meraki. Comparing it to SonicWall or even a different Cisco firewall, like traditional ASAs, managing Meraki is a thousand times easier because of fluidity. You don't have to rebuild a table just to change one rule. It's much more readable for a human.”

    Edgardo C., an IT director, notes,”By using the VPN, we can connect remotely. We have two offices, and we could connect them through the VPN. We could establish a network between two sites, and that has improved and increased communication and productivity. Our remote site is able to access the server remotely.”

    Sample Customers
    Bayonette, California State University (CSU), Centre Hospitalier Carcassonne, Centro Universitšrio de Brasilia (UniCEUB), China Tianchen Engineering Corporation Co. LTD, Citta Della Speranza, City of Frankfurt, City of Ogden, City of Vila Franca de Xira
    Hyatt, ONS
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    Computer Software Company18%
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    Government8%
    Retailer6%
    REVIEWERS
    Comms Service Provider25%
    Computer Software Company13%
    Financial Services Firm6%
    Non Tech Company6%
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    Educational Organization21%
    Computer Software Company16%
    Comms Service Provider6%
    Government5%
    Company Size
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    Small Business44%
    Midsize Enterprise33%
    Large Enterprise22%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business30%
    Midsize Enterprise13%
    Large Enterprise58%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business56%
    Midsize Enterprise27%
    Large Enterprise17%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business30%
    Midsize Enterprise32%
    Large Enterprise38%
    Buyer's Guide
    Ethernet Switches
    April 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, HPE Aruba Networking, Ubiquiti Networks and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: April 2024.
    769,789 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is ranked 21st in Ethernet Switches with 8 reviews while Meraki MX is ranked 2nd in Unified Threat Management (UTM) with 57 reviews. Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is rated 8.6, while Meraki MX is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches writes "It's easy to extend the stack, but I wish we could do more in the GUI". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Meraki MX writes "Cost-effective, simplified, easy to manage, and reliable with advanced security features and granular visibility". Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is most compared with Cisco Ethernet Switches, Aruba Switches, Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access, Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches and Nokia Ethernet Service Switch, whereas Meraki MX is most compared with Fortinet FortiGate, Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls, Cisco Secure Firewall, Sophos XG and SonicWall TZ.

    We monitor all Ethernet Switches reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.