Meraki MS Switches Reviews

I am a system integrator and my company is a partner for Cisco.

The ease of use and manageability from anywhere, whether it is from your mobile app or anywhere else with an Internet connection, is a unique selling point. It helps reduce network overhead by not requiring engineers to support the system.

The most valuable feature is the cloud management architecture from Meraki. The control plane is in the cloud, and the data plane is local, allowing manageability from anywhere.

Meraki requires more models, especially with respect to PoE Switches, to support Wi-Fi 6 capabilities. Meraki should also consider improvements in stacking features, particularly in the lower-end models like NS130, where stacking isn't supported, unlike with Cisco traditional switching.

The ease of installation and configuration saves time. Most things are automated, allowing for pre-configuration and readiness even before the delivery of equipment.

The network overhead is reduced as they don't have to hire engineers for support. The ease of use has helped reduce overall support costs.

Meraki pricing is a little premium compared to other vendor products. However, considering the features and ease of use, they are seen as pioneers in cloud management.

Meraki needs more stackable features. It would be beneficial if Meraki had stacking security in more models, especially at the lower end.

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten.

We have multiple sites across India with over thirty-five test plants in our network. The device management tools and logs are very user-friendly, making it easy to manage our network. 

It has simplified our management process.

With the license, you can manage and track all logs from the dashboard, making monitoring very easy.

We prefer Meeraki to be installed only on a local network rather than in a cloud-managed network. Meraki MS Switches are one of our largest categories, with over thirty-five deployed. 

However, the switches sometimes go offline, preventing us from effectively managing our networks. This issue arises because Meraki switches rely heavily on cloud connectivity. Given our need for reliable local network management, it would be beneficial if Meraki could launch an on-premises software solution. This would make it easier to manage the local network independently of cloud connectivity, especially when the cloud connection is down.

I have been using Meraki MS Switches for three years.

Meraki is very stable, with approximately 95-98% uptime. There are some occasional port fluctuations. Sometimes, simply replugging or transferring the connection to another port resolves the issue. There have been instances where a restart was necessary. 

We are managing over 35 devices. The solution is scalable.

The technical support requires improvement. We have observed network loops at several sites, which we manage remotely. We sought technical support during these incidents, but communication was very challenging. Therefore, from a support standpoint, improvements are necessary. Having local support personnel who can better manage such situations would be beneficial. 

Neutral

When comparing Meraki MS Switches with our current Catalyst switches, we find that using Catalyst switches managed through a controller is highly beneficial. Installing the controller to manage all switches is straightforward and ensures efficient management. The Catalyst switches are known for their stability and longevity, with many features still operational five to six years after installation. Regarding stability, 

Catalyst switches offer 99% reliability, compared to 92-98 percent for Meraki switches. Additionally, Catalyst switches have proven to be more robust against resource and performance fluctuations than Meraki.

The initial setup is easy. It typically takes two to three hours, and we have a single engineer for it.

Meraki MS Switches are highly beneficial. They significantly reduce troubleshooting time and enhance network stability. Features such as automatic loop negotiation and intuitive configuration options have saved our engineers considerable time. 

One engineer can manage over 35 users.

The licensing for Meraki MS Switches is good and reasonably priced. While the cost is slightly higher, approximately 5 to 10 percent more than some competitors due to market conditions, it remains an excellent value given the benefits. This slight premium is justified by the comprehensive features and support plans offered.

The security features of Meraki MS Switches are excellent. They include advanced capabilities such as built-in security measures and the ability to manage all features through the Meraki cloud dashboard, making configuration straightforward. Key features include port blocking and traffic management, allowing detailed control over network traffic. Additionally, Meraki MS Switches offer built-in firewall functionalities within the dashboard, enhancing the overall security level.

I highly recommend the Meraki MS switches to manage multiple local call center locations. Meraki is an excellent solution because of its enabled dashboard and the ability to manage it with a license from anywhere. However, one drawback is that it can only be managed with Ethernet. This limitation is quite specific to these switches. Otherwise, Meraki is a reliable solution for managing other remote setups.

We are considering Meraki MS Switches, their capabilities, and how they align with our expansion plans. We may need features like CI integration or related functionalities. Understanding the AI tools available with Meraki and identifying those applicable to our site requirements is crucial. First, we must comprehend the tools' capabilities and where they can be effectively deployed. These are key considerations that require clarity from Cisco.

Overall, I rate the solution an eight-point five out of ten.

We connect all workstations, CCTV, and biometric devices. We're using VLANs in Meraki, which is very easy for us. We can access it from anywhere since we are using Meraki in the cloud.

Meraki MS switches support the network management tasks. It is connected to our Cisco Nexus core switch. The connection goes from the server to the Nexus, then to Meraki, and then to the end-users. 

Changing VLANs is much easier in Meraki compared to other switches using the GUI. The GUI is the best part of Meraki. It's very easy to access.

Meraki does support CLI, but the GUI is purely GUI, which is very easy to access.

The security features, compatibility with other firewalls, and filtering capabilities in the MS switches have been the most beneficial for our network.

Tracking native ports with IP addresses is not currently possible in Meraki. I can track by hostname, but not IP address. I have requested this feature from Cisco, and they are working on it. So, this is an area of improvement. 

I would like to be able to use it on the local network. Currently, if there is no internet, I cannot use Meraki because it only works through the online portal. I would like to access the switches locally, even if the internet is down. Thie needs to be changed. 

I have been using it for two years. I work with the current update. 

I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. There are no challenges with the stability.

We can extend the switches to the server room. We currently have four to six switches. If we want to add more switches, we can stack them onto existing ones, effectively combining them into a single switch.

I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten. Currently, we have 192 endpoints (48 X 4 ports) connected to our four switches, but we have 240 users. We will replicate the four more switches.

We have already planned and procured four more switches, which need to be implemented. We are in the process of increasing usage.

The technical support needs to be improved. When we had some issues, they asked for the tag. Since Meraki is new to them, there aren't many experienced Cisco engineers who handle Meraki.

There is room for improvement here. 

Neutral

I used Aruba. My company decided to switch to Meraki. Otherwise, I didn't had any issue Aruba. It was a corporate decision. 

I would rate my experience with the initial setup a ten out of ten, with ten being easy to setup.

Deployment time:

Everything was smooth. The deployment model is on the cloud. It is Meraki dashboard. Its own portal.

Deployment process:

It took just half an hour to deploy. We connect to the network and obtain an IP. The switch is added into the portal using the license. Once that's done, we can access the switch in the portal and configure everything there.

It is self-deployed.

No maintenance is requried for Meraki MS switches. 

The pricing is very expensive. I would rate it a ten out of ten, with ten being expensive. The total cost for the switches, including future usage, is around 35 lakhs.

Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. I would recommend other users who have a good internet connection who are considering implementing Meraki MS Switches. 

We used Meraki Switches primarily for firewalling.

They help us provide reliable solutions to other customers as system integrators.

The reliability and ease of configuration are good. I very seldom receive complaints about the switches.

The GUI can be improved for a better comfort level.

We have been using Meraki Switches for more than seven or eight years.

The product has always catered to the specifications, and we haven't had any complaints about it.

Scalability is not a problem. We have it on-premises, and it is easy to scale.

Sometimes, we don't get support. That depends on the product warranty and support conditions. As a system integrator, I rate it a six out of ten as I can't raise any tickets without procuring equipment in my name.

Positive

We have worked with Sophos.

It is easy to install and usually requires just one technician.

One technician is usually enough for the installation. We manage the implementation ourselves as system integrators.

As a system integrator, we don't have that parameter for our markings. Return on investment is not applicable to us.

Compared to other products in the market, it is always expensive.

I am not sure about other solutions besides Meraki and Sophos.

I'd rate the solution ten out of ten.

I am using MX400, MS320, MX250, and MS250. We also used MX64 before. We have replaced it with MX67.

The solution is efficient and easy to run.

The product has no CLI. The solution must provide a command line interface like the one in the Cisco environment with a proper iOS interrogation ability. It's the biggest thing for me because we don't know what these devices are doing half the time. It takes a long time to know we've committed a configuration change in Meraki. Sometimes, we have to wait for long before anything happens.

I have been using the solution for at least five years.

We have also used Cisco routers. They were plugged into NETGEAR Switches in our branches throughout the country. However, my organization wanted more visibility and the ability for our first-line support to do things rather than needing a higher technical level. So, we switched to Meraki.

The tool is expensive.

I will recommend the tool to an organization depending on its needs. It is a convenient product. Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.

My company currently has about a dozen switches in operation in multiple locations. We've got probably about four or five of them in our main headquarters, then we've also rolled out to individual sites to utilize them. We remove the Cisco router and go directly into what we currently have as an SD-WAN solution.

Updates are easier to administrate. Security is handled in real time updates.

Overall a great solution.

The most valuable features are the cloud and throughput visibility, the ease of configuration, and being able to implement them into our umbrella DNS solution.

As far as the downside, I would say that they're not data center ideal. They're definitely missing some of the higher end data center Cisco features, but I'm sure those are coming down the road. Probably the only other downside I see to these is that they're very limited in their GUI for the initial configuration. 

3 Years

So far, I have not seen any of the switches go down. 

I think the only downside that I've seen so far in the scalability of the product is that they don't have anything that's more than a 48-port switch. They're more useful as access switches than as core switches for large environments. I mean, you can stack them nicely, but I haven't seen anything like a blade switch. It's different from what we standardized on in the past, with the Cisco 6500 or the 4000 series blade switches.

The support has always been really good. 

This product is very straightforward. They're a little bit of a change from the standard Cisco gear, but if you understand the networking and how things work, they're pretty simple to set up.

We have the switches on the cloud, so we can centrally administer updates from the cloud pretty simply. It's nice in that respect because you don't have to have hands-on maintenance. 

Everybody would love for the pricing to be cheaper than it is, but I don't know if that's a legitimate ask.

It's $150 per year for licensing on each 250 switch. The 425 switches are about $500 a year for the enhanced enterprise licenses. 

My advice to those looking at implementing the product would be to understand how to get into the console before implementing the switches because, in a secure environment, they may not be able to call back initially without a little bit of configuration. However, if you have broadband with DHCP, it's simple to get the initial configuration downloaded.

I would rate this solution as an eight out of ten. If they had a little bit more advanced features, I'd raise them up, but they're real good.

Meraki MS Switches have revolutionized our network operations. With cloud-based management, deployment is effortless, and monitoring is streamlined.

Meraki MS Switches have been invaluable in our network management. Compared to other switches, Meraki stands out with features like Power over Ethernet. This capability, along with remote manageability, has transformed our network operations, allowing us to implement changes quickly and efficiently while maintaining our organization's standards. It has been a refreshing change, making our tasks easier and more streamlined.

The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity. Once they are plugged in, they just work without needing much maintenance. They are dependable in various environments, from office to field settings. With Meraki, you can trust that they will perform reliably, which has been my experience.

One area where Meraki MS switches could improve is offering smaller switch sizes for distribution switches, as not all networks require the standard 24 or 48 ports. Having more compact options with fewer ports would be beneficial, especially for distribution switches with only a few connections needed. This could help optimize space, power usage, and cost efficiency, particularly for networks with many end-user switches and few distribution switches.

I have been using Meraki MS Switches for over a year.

I would rate the stability of the product as a ten out of ten. I have not faced any issues so far.

I would rate the scalability of Meraki MS Switches as a solid ten out of ten. We have approximately 20,000 end users at our company.

The technical support is excellent.

Before Meraki, we used a mix of Cisco and other brands. Then we switched exclusively to Cisco and eventually to Meraki.

I would rate the easiness of the initial setup as an eight out of ten. The deployment of Meraki MS switches typically takes a few days. We prepare parameters and schedule remote sessions with our network administrators. The actual session lasts about an hour, but the whole process involves coordination and preparation, including in-house support from an external company.

I would rate the costliness of Meraki MS Switches at around seven out of ten. They are not cheap, but I find them to be a good value for the money. However, I would prefer if the prices were a bit lower.

The analytics and dashboard functionalities of Meraki have greatly enhanced my network monitoring. While I primarily use it to monitor basic parameters like bandwidth and connectivity, it allows me to quickly spot potential issues and react promptly, despite overseeing a wide area.

In high-density environments, my experience with Meraki MS switches has been positive. They handle multiple wireless networks cohesively, including those for office and public use, without issues.

Overall, I would rate Meraki MS Switches as a nine out of ten.

We can build virtual stacking for the switches. It helps manage multiple switches deployed in different locations with a single console on the cloud. If we make any configuration changes, it can be changed across all the features using it.

It is a cloud-based product and depends on internet connectivity. It is not limited to specific geographical areas as well. So, we cannot provide these switches in the BFSI segment, especially the banking sector, as they have certain limitations due to regulatory guidelines. 

They could add NAS encryption protocol to the switches. Nowadays, many customers enquire about this feature.

We have been using Meraki MS Switches for almost eight years.

Stability-wise, I rate the product as a nine out of ten.

We have seven to eight customers for Meraki MS Switches from the manufacturing sector. I rate its scalability an eight out of ten.

The product's technical support team needs to take ownership of the problems. There is always room for improvement.

Neutral

I am working with many product competitors like Ruckus, HP, Juniper, etc.

We have implemented the product in Cisco cloud infrastructure itself. It is a private cloud based on a public cloud setup like AWS, Azure, or Google. It provides connectivity to the devices through the internet via a terminal. We require two people to manage the entire setup for maintenance.

The product's licensing cost is about 30% to 40% of the hardware cost. We have a yearly subscription. All the features are bundled in the licensing component. There are no additional costs involved.

It is one of the best products. It has a very good dashboard and a straightforward configuration. Although, it is not compliant with the requirements of specific industries that want to set it up within a particular region or country. In such cases, we provide them with on-premise solutions.

I recommend it to others and rate it a seven out of ten.

Meraki is a cloud-based solution that can be accelerated to clients and compensate for the entire gamut of networking, switching, wireless, and gateway security. Everything can be managed and monitored from the cloud. It's a multidimensional scenario where clients might have many locations and need infrastructure to be deployed quickly and remotely. If there's no local manpower available at those sites, then these are the ideal use cases for Meraki.

For me, management and security is the most valuable feature. Moreover, Meraki has a beautiful management console from where you can manage the entire solution.

From an enterprise level, too, their pricing is reasonable. Being the Cisco umbrella, they are on the higher end but pretty okay.

The challenge we face, not only with Meraki but maybe with all vendors, is the delivery timeline because of our global issues. There is a lead time issue that we are facing, specifically on the Cisco or Meraki. If Cisco can work on something with better lead times, they could regain the edge they lost due to delivery delays that have happened for the last two years.

If it's a greenfield kind of opportunity, Meraki does make sense. But, if they can look at opening up a bit of their management portfolio to other vendors, too, maybe it will be more useful because many clients might already have some solutions as part of their environment. In case they have a few switches of some other brand, Fortinet, or they could have switches from HP. If Meraki can also address this point of managing those components as part of their cloud offering, that will help the future upgrade.

There is definitely room for improvement in the delivery lead time. In case someone wants to procure something new, inherently, Cisco was having a challenge even for Cisco hardware to get all the components. Even now, as we see, the delivery lead time is close to four to five months. Clients are not ready to wait for five months for a business to start. They want it immediately. They placed the order today, and in another two to three weeks, they need the hardware.

I have been using this solution for eight years.

Stability had some issues early on, but now it's more or less stable. I have not received many complaints from clients using the Meraki MS Switches. It's pretty okay now and has reached that level of stability.

It is a scalable solution. It's a cloud-based solution, so you can add as many devices as you want.

Initially, there were some challenges related to dependencies. However, since Cisco TAC has taken over, I have noticed a significant improvement in the speed at which issues are resolved. The call is now diverted to the same tag, which has made the process faster and more efficient.

The initial setup is fine. The device is manageable console-wise and has a user-friendly GUI.

When it comes to implementation, it's just a matter of plug-in and start working. A branch could be up and running in half an hour, provided the necessary parameters are set and available.

Meraki MS Switches is neither too expensive nor too cheap, but yes, opex-wise, Meraki is not too cheap. Again, if you want me to rate it on a scale of zero to ten, with ten being the most expensive, I would rate Meraki around six and a half.

Price can be better because if there are other offerings in the market, they are also scaling up, gearing up, and giving most of the functionality similar to what Meraki is able to give. To be competitive in the market, it's better that some pre-thinking can be done from the pricing front too.

The pricing model is based on a yearly renewal because everybody is in the subscription world. But we generally ask clients to go for a three-year upfront purchase. Then, after every three years, they need to renew.

Depending on the customer's overall solution, we also work with other networking components, such as Fortinet and other cybersecurity solutions.

If it's a single-location kind of environment, definitely, you have got other options to look at. But if you have a multi-site kind of environment and you need all inherent functionalities starting off from the basic networking, going on to security, and going on to your SD-WAN and other functionalities to be part of the same solution, then it's the right solution that you can look at because it has all these as part of the inherent OS itself. And the biggest benefit that you get is that it is manageable. It's a cloud-based offering, and you can very well manage the entire setup without even being at the site, provided that the environment is on the network.

Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten.

For our customers, there are multiple locations, around 3,500.

My configuration is to do the configurations on Cisco Meraki Dashboard. There are MS Avant switches, MS switches, MS routers, et cetera. Mostly, I work with all the switches, switch modems and routers, and access points also.

The switches are very stable. 

It's able to expand.

The product is easy to set up. 

Sometimes, when we plug the new switch into the internet, they will upgrade there and it'll take time. At times, we didn't know whether the switch was operating or not so we have to take the console and we have to do some troubleshooting. In the console, we can find out there if the Cisco Meraki switch is not connected with the Meraki cloud. 

The MG21 is not working on a 5G SIM card. It requires 4G SIM cards. Therefore, we are using two links, an internet broadband link and one for MG21 that is on SIM card based for small sites. We all suffer a lot of issues for MG21. 

I've been using the solution for five years. 

It is stable as a product. The solution is reliable. There aren't any bugs or glitches. 

It is a product that can scale. It's not a problem.

Typically, if I run into issues, I'd run them by my team lead. I don't reach out to Cisco directly. It's a good solution. We don't run into many issues. 

I previously used Cisco and HP switches. 

I've also used an Alcatel switch.

The solution is very straightforward, actually. It is not complex. This is a simple product to configure.

In terms of the ease of setup, I'd rate it a nine out of ten. 

I'm not familiar with the exact cost of the solution. 

Our organization has a partnership with Meraki.

It is a good product and it is scalable. It is not too complex in terms of configuration. It supports a lot of technology.

I'd rate the product eight out of ten.