Introducing the Meraki MX84 Security Appliance

Meraki is introducing a powerful security appliance for the branch. Say hello to the new MX84 security appliance. The MX84 packs a real punch, with double the performance and capacity of its predecessor. Port counts are up on the new model, with two dedicated WAN ports for active-active Ethernet/VPN WAN links. LAN connections have increased too, with 8 Ethernet ports (up from 4 on the previous model) and the addition of 2 brand new SFP fiber ports.

Since the MX84 (and the other MX models) support dual WAN connections, it’s important to ensure that both connections can be used to their fullest potential. To that end, Meraki is announcing support for dual-active VPN connectivity and Intelligent WAN (IWAN) features. With Meraki IWAN, customers will be able to configure their security appliances to support automatic policy-based and performance-based routing decisions, ensuring more demanding applications get the bandwidth they require, and seamless failover in the event a VPN connection is dropped for any reason.

Every Meraki device - including wirelesss access points, Ethernet switches, and security appliances - connects over the Internet to Meraki’s datacenters, which run Meraki’s cloud management plat- form. These connections, secured via SSL, utilize a patented protocol that provides real time visibility and control, yet uses minimal band- width overhead (typically 1 kbps or less.)

Ironclad Security for Edge Networks

The MX hardware platform is purpose-built for Layer 7 deep packet inspection, with advanced security features including IPS, content filtering web search filtering anti-virus/anti-phishing, and IPsec VPN connectivity, while providing the throughput and capacity for modern bandwidth-intensive networks.

Layer 7 fingerprinting technology lets administrators identify unwanted content and applications and prevent recreational apps like BitTorrent from wasting precious bandwidth.

The integrated Sourcefir SNORT® engine delivers superior intrusion prevention coverage, a key requirement for PCI 2.0 compliance. The MX also uses the Webroot® BrightCloud URL categorization database for CIPA / IWF compliant content-filtering and Kaspersky® SafeStream engine for anti-virus / anti-phishing filtering.

Best of all, these industry-leading Layer 7 security engines and signatures are always kept up-to-date via the cloud, simplifying network security management and providing peace-of-mind to IT administrators.

Meraki’s founders invented Cloud Networking while working as grad students at M.I.T. Cisco Meraki now has a complete line of cloud networking products that power over 20,000 customer networks, including massive global deployments with tens of thousands of devices.

Built on Cisco Meraki’s award-winning

cloud-managed architecture, the MX

is the only 100% cloud-managed

Unified Threat Management appliance.

MX appliances self-provision,

automatically pulling  policies and

configuration settings from the cloud.

Powerful remote tools provide network-

wide visibility and control, and enable

administration without on-site

networking expertise.

Cloud services deliver seamless firmware

and security signature updates, automatically establish site-

to-site VPN tunnels, and  provide 24x7 network monitoring.

Moreover, the MX’s browser-based management dashboard

completely eliminates the need for training.

What is Cloud Networking?

Cloud Networking provides centralized management, visibility, and

control without the cost and complexity of controller appliances or

overlay management software. Cisco Meraki products are built from

the ground up for cloud management, and come out of the box with

centralized management, layer 7 device and application visibility, real

time web-based diagnostics, monitoring, reporting, and much, much

more. Cisco Meraki deploys quickly and easily, without training or

proprietary command line interfaces.

MX400 shown, features vary by model

Intuitive, Centralized Management

Remotely deploy Cisco Meraki Security Appliances in minutes through zero-touch cloud provisioning. Synchronize security settings across thousands of sites using templates. Securely connect branch locations in 3 clicks in Meraki’s intuitive, web-based dashboard.

The Meraki dashboard provides deep visibility and control over all of your Security Appliances from any Internet-accessible device, anytime, anywhere. View networked clients, bandwidth consumption, and application usage across all sites - and push policies to block, shape, or whitelist activity to optimize performance and user experience.