Cisco Meraki MX vs. Cisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access)

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Cisco Meraki MX
Score 9.1 out of 10
N/A
Cisco Meraki MX Firewalls is a combined UTM and Software-Defined WAN solution. Meraki is managed via the cloud, and provides core firewall services, including site-to-site VPN, plus network monitoring.
$595
per appliance
Cisco SD-Access
Score 8.5 out of 10
N/A
Cisco's Software-Defined Access (SD-Access) provides automated end-to-end segmentation to separate user, device and application traffic without redesigning the network. Cisco SD-Access automates user access policy so organizations can make sure the right policies are established for any user or device with any application across the network.N/A
Pricing
Cisco Meraki MXCisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access)
Editions & Modules
MX64
$595
per appliance
MX67
$695
per appliance
MX68
$995
per appliance
MX84
$1,995
per appliance
MX100
$4,995
per appliance
MX250
$9,995
per appliance
MX450
$19,995
per appliance
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Cisco Meraki MXCisco SD-Access
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Cisco Meraki MXCisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access)
Features
Cisco Meraki MXCisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access)
Firewall
Comparison of Firewall features of Product A and Product B
Cisco Meraki MX
7.9
130 Ratings
9% below category average
Cisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access)
-
Ratings
Identification Technologies8.0125 Ratings00 Ratings
Visualization Tools8.4122 Ratings00 Ratings
Content Inspection8.1121 Ratings00 Ratings
Policy-based Controls7.9120 Ratings00 Ratings
Active Directory and LDAP7.5105 Ratings00 Ratings
Firewall Management Console7.4123 Ratings00 Ratings
Reporting and Logging7.4127 Ratings00 Ratings
VPN8.8121 Ratings00 Ratings
High Availability8.7123 Ratings00 Ratings
Stateful Inspection7.6117 Ratings00 Ratings
Proxy Server6.670 Ratings00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Cisco Meraki MXCisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access)
Small Businesses
pfSense
pfSense
Score 9.4 out of 10

No answers on this topic

Medium-sized Companies
pfSense
pfSense
Score 9.4 out of 10
Cisco ACI
Cisco ACI
Score 8.0 out of 10
Enterprises
Palo Alto Networks Virtualized Next-Generation Firewalls - VM Series
Palo Alto Networks Virtualized Next-Generation Firewalls - VM Series
Score 9.5 out of 10
Cisco ACI
Cisco ACI
Score 8.0 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Cisco Meraki MXCisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access)
Likelihood to Recommend
9.1
(174 ratings)
7.6
(8 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.7
(14 ratings)
1.0
(1 ratings)
Usability
8.4
(10 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Availability
9.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
9.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
8.3
(19 ratings)
6.1
(8 ratings)
In-Person Training
10.0
(1 ratings)
6.4
(1 ratings)
Online Training
7.0
(1 ratings)
7.3
(1 ratings)
Implementation Rating
7.0
(1 ratings)
2.7
(1 ratings)
Configurability
9.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
7.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
9.0
(141 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
9.5
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
9.3
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Cisco Meraki MXCisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access)
Likelihood to Recommend
Cisco
It's very well suited for retail locations where you have a small footprint and it's a collapsed core design and it's connecting to a larger hub. We don't necessarily use them in our data centers just because they don't have the full capability we have. We use FTDs in our data centers, so we use a different Cisco product for that. So I would say they're really good at setting up sites quickly, getting them connected, protecting the traffic, and then they're a little weak in a data center right now.
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Cisco
It's well suited in our corporate offices, where all our business users resides and where we can control all their accesses. What doesn't really fit well is when we have our branch fronts, where all the software domain access features aren't utilized to its fullest, due to the fact that customers and users don't really need to have all the security features that SDA provides.
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Pros
Cisco
  • The Cisco Meraki MX series is phenomenal at allowing us to remotely manage networks. So the devices usually act as the brain behind our client's networks, which makes it really, really easy for our team to take a look at what's going on in those client network environments, resolve any issues, and make sure that our client's networks are staying secure.
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Cisco
  • Automation, pushing template-based configuration to multiple devices in one push saves time and manpower.
  • Assurance [helps trace] issues related to devices, clients, and provide the troubleshoot as [the] best practices.
  • Segmentation, with the use of the SGT tags, we are able to achieve segmentation and micro-segmentation securely.
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Cons
Cisco
  • Inbuilt wireless does not support tunnel SSID mode. This has meant not all SSID in our organisation can be deployed at a MX site.
  • Whilst Inbuilt switch ports support dot1x, they do not report as well on our NAC server as on a MS switch or catalyst switch.
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Cisco
  • Documentation: Working in this solution I realized there were missing information details about the fusion device support for nexus.
  • Fusion router: This roll in the fabric should be already integrated in the solution, right now it is configured manually.
  • Bugs: Unfortunately the solution still present a lot of bugs, mainly in the controller.
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Likelihood to Renew
Cisco
The simplicity and ease of use for the Meraki Dashboard make it an easy choice for our organization to renew our Meraki Enterprise Agreement. We will likely continue using the Meraki MC67-C, MX450, and other MX models in their catalog until we shift away from Meraki completely
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Cisco
No answers on this topic
Usability
Cisco
Some features simply aren't there, but the ones that are there are pretty easy to use. Sometimes it is easy to get lost when trying to find the specific device you want to work on, but that's mostly due to how rarely we have to go into the interface.
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Cisco
It is difficult to start using the product due to its unfamiliar name and acronyms. ,The task should be accomplished in a specific order to ensure success
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Reliability and Availability
Cisco
Meraki MX devices support high availability (HA) configurations, which ensures minimal downtime if one device goes offline. This feature has helped us maintain a stable and reliable network, even in cases of hardware failures. ince Meraki is cloud-managed, we've noticed that the cloud infrastructure is generally highly reliable, with minimal service interruptions or downtime. This makes it easier to manage the network remotely without significant availability concerns. Meraki automatically pushes firmware updates and patches, which helps maintain system stability without requiring manual intervention. These updates are rolled out in a manner that ensures minimal disruption to service.
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Cisco
No answers on this topic
Performance
Cisco
The interface is pretty responsive. The lower end devices are easy to overwhelm if you have a lot of throughput. Be sure the model you get is rated for the amount of traffic you will have. Overbuild if possible, otherwise you won't be fully leveraging the connection from your ISP.
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Cisco
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
Cisco
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
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Cisco
As far as my experience with SD-Access -I'd say things that can be improved are - better functionality with ISE, ease to understand licensing and better documentation for configuration (add-ons, etc), and licensing.
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In-Person Training
Cisco
great when they offered it, really tested your knowledge with hands on and see what your peers from other orgs know. glad to see that we were ahead of the curve of what our peers knew
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Cisco
No answers on this topic
Online Training
Cisco
it was okay as it was moderated but still better than nothing and done via semi self paced webex meeting
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Cisco
I rated the training an 8 because overall, it was well-structured, and the instructor was highly knowledgeable on the subject matter. The content was relevant, and I appreciated the clear explanations of complex topics. However, I felt that some sections were covered too quickly, making it difficult to fully absorb the information before moving on. Additionally, I would have liked more time dedicated to Q&A, as there were moments when I had questions but didn’t get the opportunity to ask them due to time constraints. Adding more interactive discussions or hands-on exercises could further enhance the learning experience and make it even more engaging
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Implementation Rating
Cisco
Implementing Meraki MX devices in phases—starting with a pilot group or select branch offices—was invaluable. This allowed us to identify potential configuration issues, troubleshoot problems, and refine our setup before rolling it out company-wide. It also helped to get feedback from early users and adjust the deployment strategy accordingly. The SD-WAN capabilities in Meraki MX were essential for optimizing our WAN traffic and ensuring better application performance across various locations.
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Cisco
At the beginning, we had to open a TAC case for every single step during the implementation phase.
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Alternatives Considered
Cisco
The Meraki Dashboard has been a lot more intuitive than CradlePoint NetCloud. We switched from CradlePoint to Cisco Meraki MX because we were already familiar with the interface which allowed us to be familiar with a single dashboard.
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Cisco
Automation, pushing template-based configuration to multiple devices in one push saves time and manpower. Assurance helps trace issues related to devices, clients, and provide the troubleshoot as the best practices. Segmentation, with the use of the SGT tags, we are able to achieve segmentation and micro-segmentation securely.
Read full review
Scalability
Cisco
When I first started with my company we had various infrastructure and a mix of tech. Since going to Cisco Meraki MX we have noticed better network performance and our new sites are much easier to bring online. Users have noticed an improvement in VPN connection and getting into all our systems.
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Cisco
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
Cisco
  • From a positive impact? Basically it allows us to set up shop very quickly. It allowed us to add sites to our network very quickly. From a negative perspective, I think the only thing is that I can see from a negative perspective is I have a preference to working with ACLI in terms of how I engage with the youth tool At the moment, the only way to actually engage with a tool is on a gui and sometimes what I'd actually like is more detailed information in terms of actual configuration that you'll actually get out of ACLI.
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Cisco
  • Integration with other platforms in a single platform is a great advantage for the user.
  • Saves time in configuring devices on the network
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ScreenShots