Aruba Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) vs. Cisco Meraki MX

Have remote sites and need them to feel local? Want to get all your locations virtually on the same network? This is the way. And if you're like us and need an easy way to manage all your remote locations in one place this is the tool you want to use.

Incentivized

So most use cases, this product fits. There aren't that many situations where it doesn't, and I've put it inside of banks. I've used it inside of schools, I've used it at normal businesses, big, bigger, and or small, but very small use cases where it has not, and we could not lead with it was at some banks. They did require NetOver VPN when communicating with higher-fed entities. If in the future Meraki could include NetOver VPN, then this would just be an auto-include for most of our deployments.

Incentivized

• An intricate system of connections that make it seem like your outside sites are all on one single LAN
• Well priced in their category as others are a bit pricier for the same services
• Aruba is backed by a well staffed support team that can get you through your issues

Incentivized

• The management is the best. I'm an old-fashioned networking guy, so I'm used to going to the site itself and connecting. For example, a console cable and start and start configuring. Now since the management is so easy on Meraki I can configure everything from the headquarters from where I sit in Israel and then just go to the site and connect and basically, it's plug and play. After I configure everything from my office in Israel, I can just go to the site for a few hours, and connect everything. Just the magic happens.

Incentivized

• The right support team for your product can be difficult to get ahold of
• Integration with Cisco is not as super tight as integration with Aruba devices
• Some of the advanced features are difficult to use

Incentivized

• Firewall Policies
• Hardware Performance Statistics
• IPS Performance + Efficacy
• Limited port counts when leveraging network templates on higher end units.
• No options for HTTPS decrypt or encrypt visibility
• No EIGRP Routing
• No ability to clear ARP table / release DHCP leases through GUI

Incentivized

As we have it in place now, we will continue to keep it at our remote sites. Future expansion is something we are reviewing, and may well start with some of the larger switches as they seem to offer good performance and management at a reasonable price. Wireless is also something we're investing in and their devices are great for that.

Incentivized

The Cisco Meraki MX series is very easy to use. Setting up user VPN access, site to site VPN to tie multiple locations together and managing all your devices. You can even download the latest firmware and install without ever leaving the dashboard. Meraki is the very definition of easy to use

Incentivized

I haven't ever had a bad experience with Meraki support. On the few occasions where I wasn't understanding the UI or needed some clarification about what a setting actually would do, I contacted them and they were very quickly able to provide help. Returns are simple and fast, too. We had to return a defective device one time and they shipped the replacement before we had even un-racked the one that was faulty. Unlike many other vendors, they didn't ask use to a do long list of scripted diagnostics, they just took my word for it that the device was broken and sent out a replacement immediately

Incentivized

Good product and simple to use.

Incentivized

I have used Sonicwall and Meraki, and they are very similar and functional, but they go about it in different ways. Meraki is a little more user-friendly with less of a learning curve, but it comes at a little steeper price. I do like the online dashboard of Meraki better, though.

Incentivized

Every network we create will allow us to automatically be attached in the mesh network. The ability for the automatic VPN connections is very convenient and allow us to focus on other configuration points without having to worry about if the VPN will work or not. The GUI showing the VPN is kind of confusing, but as long as it has direct connection to the other Meraki MX units, it will be up.

Incentivized

• Changed the way we manage remote sites
• Saved us funds in the LAN budget
• Created new opportunities to roll out functions at these sites

Incentivized

• Network hardware needs to function 100% of the time with no one really ever thinking about it - it just needs to work. Cisco delivers here.
• The Cisco Meraki MX products are fast and reliable helping productivity.
• Cisco's support is solid and helpful.

Incentivized