
Cisco Meraki MX
SD-WAN solutions
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
Take the quiz to check if Cisco Meraki MX and its alternatives fit your requirements.
Contact the product provider
Small
Medium
Large
- Retail and wholesale
- Accommodation and food services
- Real estate and property management
What is Cisco Meraki MX
Cisco Meraki MX is a cloud-managed security and SD-WAN appliance used to connect branch sites, remote locations, and small-to-mid-sized campuses to the internet and private networks. It targets IT teams that want centralized configuration, monitoring, and policy management through the Meraki Dashboard. The MX line combines SD-WAN features (such as traffic shaping and VPN) with integrated security capabilities and is typically deployed as an edge device at each site.
Centralized cloud management
Meraki Dashboard provides a single interface for provisioning, configuration, monitoring, and firmware management across many sites. Templates and network-wide policies help standardize deployments for distributed environments. The cloud-managed model reduces the need for on-site device administration for routine changes.
Integrated security at edge
MX appliances combine SD-WAN functions with security features such as stateful firewalling and optional advanced security services depending on license tier. This supports common branch-edge use cases where connectivity and security controls are managed together. Event logs and security-related telemetry are accessible in the same management plane used for networking operations.
Broad branch deployment fit
The MX portfolio covers multiple performance tiers, enabling use across small branches through larger sites with higher throughput needs. It supports common WAN uplink types and can be paired with cellular gateways for backup connectivity in distributed deployments. The product is often used where rapid rollout and consistent policy enforcement across many locations are priorities.
License dependency for operation
Meraki devices require an active license to remain fully operational and manageable through the cloud dashboard. This creates an ongoing subscription cost and a renewal dependency that some organizations must plan for carefully. License tier selection also affects which security and SD-WAN capabilities are available.
Limited deep SD-WAN control
Compared with platforms designed for highly customized routing and advanced traffic engineering, MX can be less flexible for complex WAN designs. Some advanced features and granular controls may be constrained by the dashboard-driven abstraction. Organizations with specialized requirements may need additional Cisco components or different architectures.
Cloud reliance and constraints
Management and visibility depend on Meraki’s cloud services, which can be a concern for environments with strict sovereignty requirements or limited internet access. While the data plane can continue forwarding during many outages, administrative changes and some monitoring functions may be impacted if cloud connectivity is unavailable. This model may not align with organizations that require fully on-premises management.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | Not publicly listed — contact sales/partners | Basic SD‑WAN and firewall functionality (Auto VPN, routing, basic security). Source: Meraki licensing documentation. |
| Advanced Security | Not publicly listed — contact sales/partners | All Enterprise features plus unified threat management (UTM) like IDS/IPS, malware protection, content filtering and other advanced security services. |
| Secure SD‑WAN Plus | Not publicly listed — contact sales/partners | All Advanced Security features plus advanced analytics/SD‑WAN enhancements (Meraki Insight, ThousandEyes integration, Smart SaaS QoE). |
Notes: Cisco/Meraki publishes the MX license editions and features on its official documentation but does not list public list prices on the vendor website; hardware and licenses are provided via Cisco sales or authorized partners (see citations).
Seller details
Cisco Systems, Inc.
San Jose, California, USA
1984
Public
https://www.cisco.com/
https://x.com/Cisco
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cisco/