Item: Cisco Meraki MR
Rating: 9
Author: Kevin Almond

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Cisco Meraki MR is utilised within our own organisation to deliver flexible working solutions to our staff. With the adoption of hybrid working not every member of staff now has a permanent desk and hot-desking has become the norm. To facilitate this we needed a robust and agile solution, that was also very easy for even 1st line staff to manage and monitor. As well as simple connectivity, the wireless solution needed to be able to prioritise voice and web conferencing traffic to ensure a wireless user would be able to receive the same service levels as that of a wired user and a compatible user experience.

Pros and Cons

Simple management and monitoring
Easy to redeploy and relocate
Good wireless signal range

Cisco Meraki MR sometimes do release software version that have problems
A Mobile App has been released to aid with admin support of the solution, but it needs to improve in stability
The new management interface now consumes more area of the web page and isn't as concise as before. Albeit it looks more modern.

Return on Investment

We've seen a 60% decrease in wait time for changes to the configuration, as these can be done by 1st / 2nd line now and don't wait for a senior resource.
In Cisco Meraki MR Dashboard reporting and traffic visibility has helped with end-user issue resolution and quicker problem turnaround.
Deployment time for new MR's into new areas takes minutes and requires minimal effort and less skilled resources.
The resources we did usually require for config and management are now deployed on actual chargeable work elsewhere in the business.

Simplified Management

We have been able to use more junior resources to deploy the solution and make additions to the network than the previous solution. Management of the solution via the Cisco Meraki MR Dashboard has also allowed the same junior resources to feel more confident in their own abilities and managing and maintaining the solution for the business has become more straightforward. This change of resource level for install, management and monitoring has allowed the organisation to more effectively use our higher-skilled staff for more fee-generating work. The Cisco Meraki MR Dashboard can also be supplemented by the Mobile App for management of the solution on the go and when out of the Office, further allowing ease of operation from literally anywhere on the planet.

Integrations with other Cisco products

Webex App

To aid in the management and monitoring of Cisco Meraki MR and Meraki solutions in general, we integrated Cisco Meraki MR via Webhooks into the Webex App via a Webex Teams Space. The purpose of this was to reduce the volume of email alerts and get better information and more granular detail immediately into a chat and collaboration space across as many staff as necessary. The Webex Space provides a far better alerting experience for the Cisco Meraki MR solution both in terms of its reach and visual information it shares.

Scalability

The scope for scaling of Cisco Meraki MR whilst not unlimited, is primarily down to the organisations needs and wishes. Unlike wireless LAN controllers that may need to have configuration changes made, licenses added or even the network made ready, Cisco Meraki MR just needs the Internet and Power and it will connect back to the Cloud Controller to pull down the configuration that already exists for the Network to MR will be placed into. MR's can be added to the same site, a different site, a different country or continent and the deployment method is the same. They also appear in the same Dashboard for management via a single pane of glass, no matter where in the world they are.

Key Insights

Do you think Cisco Meraki MR delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Cisco Meraki MR's feature set?

Yes

Did Cisco Meraki MR live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Cisco Meraki MR go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Cisco Meraki MR again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Cisco Meraki SD-WAN, Cisco Secure Access by Duo, Zoho Desk, Cisco ASA 5500-X with FirePOWER Services, Cisco Firepower 2100 Series

Likelihood to Recommend

If you are looking for enterprise-grade wireless networking solution, then Cisco Meraki MR is definitely a solution that you should consider. There are a wide variety of AP's which cover every eventuality from entry-level, to hotel rooms and then to high-density stadiums and external environments. The design is very easy on the eye and deployment is very straightforward, ensuring that you aren't installing something that stands out too much and is a problem from the outset to fit. Cisco Meraki MR lends itself to lean IT Teams that don't have the manpower or technical capability to manage large estates and with it being Cloud Controlled, it requires no on-site hardware (controller) and simply needs power and internet access. Where Cisco Meraki MR's deployment could be called into question, is when the admin team needs very granular control of users and traffic and also need enhanced reporting. Under these circumstances, Cisco Catalyst products should be considered.

Cloud Managed Wireless at its Best

Modules Used

Overall Satisfaction with Cisco Meraki MR