Meraki MX Sizing Guide: A Comprehensive Plan
This guide details selecting the optimal Meraki MX appliance, considering real-world deployments, benchmarks, and features for robust network security and future scalability․
Meraki MX security appliances represent a unified threat management (UTM) solution, consolidating essential network functions into a single, cloud-managed platform․ These appliances go beyond traditional firewalls, incorporating features like intrusion prevention, content filtering, and malware protection․ They are designed for organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises and data centers․
Proper sizing is crucial for optimal performance and to avoid bottlenecks․ Selecting the right MX model ensures adequate throughput, VPN capacity, and client handling capabilities․ This guide provides a comprehensive approach to sizing, considering current usage, projected growth, and specific network requirements․ Understanding these factors will enable you to choose an MX appliance that meets your needs today and scales effectively for the future․
Understanding Key Sizing Factors
Accurate Meraki MX sizing hinges on several critical factors․ Current user count is a primary consideration, but it’s not the sole determinant․ Projected network growth is equally important; anticipating future needs prevents premature upgrades․
Internet bandwidth requirements dictate the necessary firewall throughput․ Analyze application usage – web browsing, video conferencing, and VoIP all consume bandwidth differently․ Don’t overlook guest network traffic, which can significantly impact performance․ Furthermore, assess VPN usage and the required tunnel capacity for remote access․
Failing to account for these elements can lead to performance degradation and a compromised user experience․ A thorough assessment of these factors is essential for selecting the appropriate MX model․
Current User Count
Determining the precise number of concurrent users is foundational for Meraki MX sizing․ This isn’t simply a headcount; it’s the number of devices actively using the internet simultaneously․ Consider both employees and guests accessing the network․ A user with multiple devices (laptop, phone, tablet) counts as multiple users․
An MX84, for example, successfully handled 450 daily unique devices for 4․5 years, initially sized for 200-250 users․ However, this grew with added VPN users and access points․ Accurately estimating current usage, and anticipating growth, is vital․
Underestimating user count leads to performance bottlenecks, while overestimating results in unnecessary expense․ A realistic assessment is key․
Projected Network Growth
Failing to plan for future network expansion is a common sizing mistake․ Consider anticipated business growth, potential new locations, and increasing device density․ A firewall sized adequately today might quickly become a bottleneck tomorrow․
Allocate buffer room in your firewall selection․ If you currently support 550 users, choosing a model designed for 750-1000 users provides headroom․ The MX84 example demonstrates growth; starting at 250 users, it accommodated significant additions over 4․5 years․
Factor in potential increases in VPN usage, guest network access, and bandwidth-intensive applications․ Proactive planning prevents costly upgrades down the line․
Internet Bandwidth Requirements
Accurately assessing internet bandwidth needs is crucial for MX sizing․ Don’t solely rely on current usage; anticipate future demands driven by cloud applications, video conferencing, and increased data transfer․
A 300/300 circuit successfully supported 450 daily unique devices with an MX84, showcasing a practical example․ However, upgrading to a 500/500 circuit necessitated an upgrade to an MX85, highlighting the link between bandwidth and appliance capacity․
Consider peak usage times and potential spikes in traffic․ The MX appliance must handle sustained bandwidth and temporary surges without performance degradation․ Proper sizing ensures a smooth user experience․
Meraki MX Model Overview
Cisco Meraki MX security appliances cater to diverse network sizes and complexities․ The MX67/MX68 suits small to medium businesses, offering essential security features and VPN capabilities․ Stepping up, the MX84/MX85 targets medium to large businesses, providing increased throughput and client capacity․
For larger enterprises and those adopting SD-WAN, the MX100/MX101 delivers multigigabit performance and advanced routing․ Finally, the MX250/MX450/C8455 models are designed for data centers and campus environments, supporting high-density networks and demanding security requirements․
Each model offers varying levels of performance, scalability, and features, allowing organizations to select the appliance best aligned with their specific needs․
MX67/MX68: Small to Medium Business
The Meraki MX67 and MX68 are ideal for organizations with up to 250 users, providing a robust security foundation for small to medium-sized businesses․ These appliances deliver essential features like stateful firewall, VPN connectivity, and content filtering․ They are well-suited for branch offices or headquarters locations with moderate bandwidth requirements․
Consider the MX68 if you anticipate needing slightly higher performance or more VPN tunnel capacity than the MX67 offers․ Both models provide a cost-effective solution for securing networks without sacrificing essential functionality․ They represent a strong entry point into the Meraki security appliance ecosystem․
MX84/MX85: Medium to Large Business
The Meraki MX84 and MX85 are designed for medium to large businesses, supporting up to 500-750 users depending on traffic patterns and security feature utilization․ A real-world deployment showcased an MX84 handling 450 daily unique devices for 4․5 years with a 300/300 circuit and advanced security enabled, only requiring an upgrade to an MX85 with a bandwidth increase to 500/500․
These models offer increased throughput, VPN capacity, and advanced security features․ The MX85 provides a performance boost over the MX84, making it suitable for environments with higher demands․ They are excellent choices for organizations needing reliable security and scalability․
MX100/MX101: Larger Enterprises & SD-WAN
The MX100 and MX101 appliances cater to larger enterprises and those implementing SD-WAN solutions․ These units deliver substantial performance gains, supporting extensive VPN tunnel counts and handling significant traffic volumes․ They are ideal for hub-and-spoke architectures and full mesh deployments, enabling high-performance Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) operations․
Key considerations include ensuring sufficient uplink capacity, managing heat and power constraints within the deployment environment, and planning for site-to-site VPN redundancy․ These models provide the robust capabilities needed for complex network infrastructures and demanding security requirements, offering scalability and reliability․
MX250/MX450/C8455: Data Centers & Campus Environments
For data centers and expansive campus environments, the MX250, MX450, and C8455 represent top-tier solutions․ These appliances boast multi-gigabit firewall throughput, capable of handling immense network traffic․ They support thousands of concurrent VPN tunnels, crucial for secure remote access and site connectivity․ Furthermore, they fully support advanced security licenses, enhancing threat protection․
Critical planning aspects include meticulous evaluation of uplink capacity to avoid bottlenecks, careful consideration of heat and power constraints within the facility, and robust site-to-site redundancy for uninterrupted operation․ These models enable complex hub-and-spoke and full mesh deployments, delivering high-performance NGFW capabilities․
Analyzing Traffic Patterns
Accurate Meraki MX sizing necessitates a thorough understanding of your network’s traffic patterns․ Begin by identifying dominant application usage – the proportion of traffic dedicated to web browsing, streaming video, and Voice over IP (VoIP) services․ Analyze guest network traffic volume, as it often represents a significant, and potentially unpredictable, load․
Crucially, assess VPN usage and required tunnel capacity, especially if supporting a remote workforce or multiple site-to-site connections․ Consider peak usage times and potential growth․ Understanding these elements allows for precise appliance selection, preventing performance bottlenecks and ensuring a consistently reliable network experience․ Ignoring these factors can lead to undersized appliances and compromised performance․
Application Usage (Web, Video, VoIP)
Determining the proportion of network traffic consumed by web browsing, video streaming, and VoIP is fundamental to Meraki MX sizing․ Video, particularly high-definition content, demands substantial bandwidth․ VoIP requires low latency and consistent quality of service (QoS)․ Web traffic, while often less bandwidth-intensive per user, can accumulate significantly with numerous concurrent users․
Prioritize applications based on business criticality․ For example, a business heavily reliant on video conferencing will require an MX appliance capable of handling substantial video throughput․ Accurately quantifying the bandwidth demands of each application category allows for informed decisions, ensuring sufficient capacity and optimal performance for essential services․
Guest Network Traffic
Guest network traffic represents a significant, often unpredictable, load on the Meraki MX appliance․ While typically segmented from the primary network, guest access can still consume considerable bandwidth, especially in environments like hotels, retail spaces, or offices with frequent visitors․ Consider the anticipated number of concurrent guest users and their typical usage patterns – streaming, social media, and general web browsing․
Implementing bandwidth limits and content filtering on the guest network is crucial․ This prevents guests from monopolizing bandwidth and potentially accessing inappropriate content․ Accurately estimating guest traffic volume ensures the MX appliance can accommodate this load without impacting the performance of critical business applications and internal network resources․
VPN Usage & Tunnel Capacity
VPN usage significantly impacts Meraki MX appliance sizing, particularly the number of concurrent tunnels required․ Remote workers, site-to-site connections, and secure access to cloud resources all rely on VPN functionality․ Each MX model supports a different maximum number of VPN tunnels; exceeding this limit degrades performance and can cause connectivity issues․
Assess current and projected VPN user counts, factoring in peak usage times․ Consider the type of VPN traffic – remote access typically requires lower bandwidth per user than site-to-site connections․ The MX250, MX450, and C8455 models offer substantial tunnel capacity for larger deployments․ Proper planning ensures the MX appliance can handle VPN load without compromising overall network performance or security․
Security Feature Impact on Performance
Meraki MX appliances offer robust security features, but enabling these impacts performance․ The Advanced Security License, including content filtering and malware protection, adds processing overhead․ Similarly, the Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) inspects traffic for malicious activity, consuming CPU resources․
Threat hunting and analytics, while valuable, also contribute to increased load․ When sizing an MX appliance, account for the chosen security features․ A higher-end model may be necessary to maintain optimal throughput with all features enabled․ Consider testing with and without security features to quantify the performance impact and ensure adequate capacity for your network’s needs․
Advanced Security License (Content Filtering, Malware Protection)
The Meraki Advanced Security License significantly enhances threat protection, but introduces performance considerations․ Content filtering categorizes websites, blocking access based on policy, demanding processing power․ Malware protection scans traffic for malicious files, adding latency․ These features are crucial for a secure network, yet impact throughput․
When evaluating MX sizing, factor in the volume of web traffic and the complexity of content filtering rules․ Networks with extensive filtering or high user counts require more powerful appliances; Regularly monitor CPU utilization after enabling the license to ensure performance remains acceptable․ Consider a higher MX model if performance degradation is observed․
Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)
The Meraki Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) actively blocks malicious network activity, inspecting traffic for known attack signatures․ While vital for security, IPS processing is resource-intensive, impacting firewall throughput․ Deeper inspection levels offer greater protection but demand more CPU power from the MX appliance․
Sizing an MX with IPS enabled requires careful consideration of network traffic volume and the selected IPS profile․ Higher traffic volumes and more aggressive IPS settings necessitate a more powerful MX model․ Monitor CPU utilization closely after enabling IPS; sustained high usage indicates a potential need for an upgrade․ Prioritize IPS rules based on risk to optimize performance․
Threat Hunting & Analytics
Meraki’s advanced security licenses unlock powerful threat hunting and analytics capabilities, providing deeper visibility into network traffic and potential security incidents․ These features, however, add to the processing load on the MX appliance․ Analyzing historical traffic data, identifying anomalous behavior, and conducting forensic investigations all require significant CPU and memory resources․
When deploying threat hunting tools, select an MX model with ample processing power to avoid performance degradation․ Regularly review security logs and alerts generated by these analytics, and consider the impact of long-term data retention on storage capacity․ Proactive monitoring ensures optimal performance and effective threat detection․
Real-World Deployment Considerations
Successful Meraki MX deployment requires careful consideration beyond just user count․ Uplink capacity and redundancy are crucial; ensure sufficient bandwidth and a secondary connection for failover․ Heat and power constraints within your wiring closet or server room must be assessed – larger MX models consume more energy and generate more heat․
Site-to-site VPN requirements significantly impact sizing․ Each VPN tunnel consumes resources, and high tunnel counts necessitate a more powerful MX appliance․ Consider future expansion; an MX84 supporting 450 devices for 4․5 years demonstrates long-term viability, but plan for increased VPN users and additional APs․
Uplink Capacity & Redundancy
Adequate uplink capacity is paramount for Meraki MX performance; Begin by accurately assessing your current internet bandwidth needs and anticipate future growth․ A 300/300 circuit successfully supported an MX84 for 4․5 years, but upgrading to 500/500 necessitated an upgrade to an MX85․
Redundancy is equally vital․ Implementing a secondary internet connection—cable, DSL, or fiber—provides failover protection, ensuring business continuity during outages․ The MX intelligently manages traffic across both links․ Prioritize a diverse connection type for true redundancy, avoiding a single provider failure point․ Proper configuration is key to seamless failover․
Heat & Power Constraints
Deploying Meraki MX appliances requires careful consideration of environmental factors․ Larger models, like the MX250, MX450, and C8455, demand significant power and generate substantial heat․ Ensure your chosen location can adequately dissipate this heat to prevent performance throttling or hardware failure․
Assess available power outlets and dedicated circuits․ Overloading circuits can lead to instability․ Proper ventilation is crucial; avoid enclosed spaces without airflow․ Consider the physical dimensions of the appliance and ensure sufficient rack space if applicable․ Ignoring these constraints can compromise reliability and shorten the device’s lifespan․
Site-to-Site VPN Requirements
Establishing secure connections between multiple sites necessitates careful VPN capacity planning․ Meraki MX appliances support site-to-site VPNs, but the number of concurrent tunnels impacts performance․ Higher-end models like the MX250 and MX450 offer support for thousands of tunnels, suitable for extensive networks․
Evaluate the bandwidth needed for each VPN tunnel and the total aggregated throughput․ Consider encryption overhead, which reduces available bandwidth․ Properly sizing the MX ensures VPN performance doesn’t degrade network speed․ Factor in potential future expansion of site connections when selecting a model, avoiding bottlenecks as your organization grows․
Comparing MX Models: Key Specifications
When evaluating Meraki MX appliances, several key specifications differentiate their capabilities․ Client capacity, representing the number of concurrent users supported, varies significantly between models․ Uplink failover capabilities are crucial for redundancy, with higher-end models offering faster switchover times and multiple WAN port options․
Consider the LAN vs WAN port counts to align with your network infrastructure․ PoE availability on certain models simplifies deployment of IP phones and access points․ Importantly, assess the impact of enabling advanced security features – content filtering, malware protection, and IPS – on overall throughput․ Thorough comparison ensures optimal performance and scalability․
Client Capacity
Client capacity defines the maximum number of concurrent users an MX appliance can effectively support without performance degradation․ This isn’t simply a user count; it encompasses all devices connecting through the firewall – laptops, smartphones, IoT devices, and more․ Meraki specifies client capacity based on typical usage patterns, but real-world scenarios vary․
Factors like application usage (streaming video consumes more bandwidth) and security features enabled (content filtering adds processing overhead) influence actual capacity․ An MX84, for example, can handle thousands of clients, while smaller models like the MX67 are suited for fewer․ Accurately estimating current and projected client numbers is vital for appropriate sizing․
Uplink Failover Capabilities
Uplink failover is a critical feature ensuring business continuity․ Meraki MX appliances support multiple WAN connections, automatically switching to a backup link if the primary fails․ This minimizes downtime and maintains network access․ Higher-end MX models, like the MX250 and MX450, offer more robust failover options, including support for multiple active WAN connections simultaneously․
Consider your internet service provider (ISP) redundancy․ Do you have a secondary ISP? The MX’s ability to detect outages and seamlessly transition is paramount․ Evaluate the failover speed and stability offered by each model․ Proper configuration is key; ensure DNS settings and routing policies are optimized for quick and reliable failover performance․
LAN vs WAN Port Counts
Evaluating LAN and WAN port counts is crucial for matching the MX appliance to your network infrastructure․ LAN ports connect to your internal network (switches, servers), while WAN ports connect to the internet․ Lower-end models like the MX67/68 typically have fewer ports, suitable for simpler setups․ Larger organizations require more ports for redundancy and segmentation․
Consider future expansion․ Will you need to add more devices or WAN links? The MX84/85 and higher models offer greater port density․ Also, assess if you need PoE (Power over Ethernet) ports for devices like IP phones or access points․ Carefully map your current and projected port requirements to select an MX model that provides sufficient connectivity without overspending․
Case Study: MX84/MX85 Performance
A real-world deployment showcased an MX84 handling a 300/300 Mbps circuit with Advanced Security features enabled for 4․5 years, supporting 450 daily unique devices․ Initially sized for around 200-250 users, it successfully accommodated VPN users, additional access points, and a Z3 device without significant issues․ The primary limitation encountered was the logging system, which occasionally dropped events due to high volume․
This experience demonstrates the MX84’s capability for medium-sized businesses․ The upgrade to an MX85 was prompted by a planned circuit upgrade to 500/500 Mbps, highlighting the importance of anticipating bandwidth needs․ This case study validates the MX84/85 as reliable options for growing networks․
Planning for Future Growth
Proactive capacity planning is crucial when selecting a Meraki MX appliance․ Networks evolve, and anticipating growth prevents performance bottlenecks․ If your current user count is 550, choosing an MX model supporting a higher capacity – perhaps 750 or 1000 users – provides necessary headroom․
Consider projected increases in bandwidth demand from applications like video conferencing and cloud services․ Factor in potential VPN user growth and the addition of new network devices․ Allocating buffer room ensures sustained performance as your organization scales․ Regularly reassess your network needs and adjust your MX configuration accordingly for optimal long-term operation․
Utilizing the Meraki Sizing Tool
Cisco Meraki provides a valuable sizing tool to assist in selecting the appropriate MX security appliance․ This tool streamlines the process by prompting you to input key network parameters, including current user count, projected growth, and internet bandwidth requirements․
The tool analyzes your inputs and recommends suitable MX models based on your specific needs․ It also considers advanced security features, like content filtering and intrusion prevention, and their potential impact on performance․ While a helpful starting point, remember to supplement the tool’s recommendations with a thorough understanding of your unique traffic patterns and future scalability goals․