SD-WAN · SASE · Cloud-Managed
Cisco Meraki SD-WAN & SASE Review
Cisco Meraki is Cisco's cloud-managed networking platform, delivering SD-WAN, LAN, wireless, and security capabilities through a unified cloud dashboard. Unlike Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN (formerly Viptela), which targets large enterprise with complex routing requirements, Cisco Meraki is positioned for organisations that prioritise simplicity, ease of management, and rapid deployment over deep feature configurability. The Meraki MX appliance line serves as the SD-WAN edge device, while Cisco Secure Connect with Cisco Meraki SD-WAN extends the offering into a SASE platform combining SD-WAN with cloud-delivered security from Cisco's SSE stack. Cisco is a Challenger in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SASE Platforms.
Quick Facts — Cisco Meraki
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full company name | Cisco Systems, Inc. (Meraki division) |
| Headquarters | San Jose, California, USA (Meraki: San Francisco, CA) |
| Founded | Cisco: 1984; Meraki: 2006 (acquired by Cisco 2012) |
| Primary product | Cisco Meraki MX SD-WAN; Cisco Secure Connect with Meraki SD-WAN (SASE) |
| Architecture | Cloud-managed overlay SD-WAN; SASE via Cisco Secure Connect SSE integration |
| Global PoPs | Cisco Secure Access (SSE) provides cloud PoP coverage; not a dedicated private SD-WAN backbone |
| UK presence | Strong UK channel; UK deployments fully supported |
| SASE capability | Partial — Cisco Secure Connect with Meraki SD-WAN forms SASE; Cisco is a Challenger in 2025 Gartner SASE MQ with approximately 500 active enterprise SASE customers |
| SD-WAN capability | Full — cloud-managed SD-WAN via Meraki MX appliances |
| Target market | SMB to mid-market; also enterprise where simplicity is prioritised over feature depth |
| UK channel | Extensive UK reseller and partner network |
| Gartner position | Cisco overall is a Challenger in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SASE Platforms; Cisco is a Leader in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SD-WAN (5th consecutive year) |
What Netify Thinks
Cisco Meraki's defining characteristic is its ease of use. The cloud-managed dashboard, zero-touch provisioning, and template-based configuration make it the simplest Cisco SD-WAN deployment path available — and the simplest SD-WAN overall in its tier. For organisations that have already standardised on Meraki for switching and wireless, extending to SD-WAN via the MX platform is a natural and low-friction step.
Strengths
- Best-in-class ease of management: The Meraki dashboard provides a consistent, intuitive management interface across switching, wireless, and WAN from a single cloud portal. Template-based SD-WAN deployment makes adding new branches one of the fastest operations in the enterprise SD-WAN market.
- Zero-touch provisioning: Meraki MX appliances self-configure from the cloud, enabling remote site deployments without on-site IT expertise. This is a major operational advantage for distributed retail, healthcare, or education organisations.
- Cisco ecosystem integration: Meraki integrates natively with Cisco Catalyst switches, Cisco wireless, Cisco ISE, Cisco Umbrella (DNS security), and Cisco Duo (MFA). For Cisco-standardised organisations, this delivers a tightly integrated security and networking stack.
- Simplified SASE path via Cisco Secure Connect: Cisco Secure Connect with Meraki SD-WAN provides an accessible on-ramp to SASE for existing Meraki customers without requiring a platform migration.
Weaknesses
- Limited customisation: The simplicity that makes Meraki easy to use also limits deep network configuration. Organisations with advanced routing, complex segmentation, or granular policy requirements typically find Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN or third-party vendors more capable.
- Cloud dashboard dependency: Meraki's management is entirely cloud-dependent. If the Meraki cloud dashboard is unavailable, local management options are minimal. This is a risk for organisations in highly regulated environments with strict network independence requirements.
- Cisco SASE is still maturing: Gartner estimated approximately 500 active enterprise Cisco SASE customers in its 2025 MQ analysis, noting that two management consoles are required for SSE and SD-WAN functions. This is materially below Cato Networks, Fortinet, or Zscaler in SASE market penetration.
- Cost: Meraki licensing is subscription-based per device, and costs can escalate quickly with scale. Independent reviewers frequently note that Meraki can be expensive relative to alternatives for larger deployments.
Verdict: Cisco Meraki SD-WAN is best suited to organisations that prioritise ease of deployment and management over feature depth — particularly those already running Meraki switching and wireless who want to consolidate on a single cloud-managed platform. It is less appropriate for large enterprises with complex routing requirements or those seeking a fully mature single-vendor SASE solution.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Best-in-class cloud dashboard — consistent management across switching, wireless, and WAN
- Zero-touch provisioning — self-configuring appliances, no on-site expertise required
- Template-based SD-WAN configuration accelerates multi-site deployments
- Cisco ecosystem integration (ISE, Umbrella, Duo, Catalyst)
- Cisco recognised as Leader in 2024 Gartner MQ for SD-WAN (5th consecutive year)
- SASE path via Cisco Secure Connect with Meraki SD-WAN
Cons
- Limited customisation — advanced routing and segmentation requirements may exceed platform capability
- Cloud dashboard dependency — minimal local management if Meraki cloud is unavailable
- Cisco SASE still maturing — approximately 500 enterprise SASE customers (Gartner 2025 estimate)
- Two management consoles required for full SASE (SSE + SD-WAN not unified)
- Licensing costs escalate at scale — can be expensive relative to alternatives
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cisco Meraki SD-WAN?
Cisco Meraki SD-WAN is Cisco's cloud-managed SD-WAN solution, built around the Meraki MX appliance line and managed entirely through the Meraki cloud dashboard. Unlike Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN (formerly Viptela), which targets complex enterprise routing, Meraki is designed for ease of deployment, zero-touch provisioning, and intuitive management — making it popular in distributed retail, healthcare, education, and mid-market enterprise environments.
How much does Cisco Meraki SD-WAN cost?
Cisco Meraki uses a subscription licensing model per device, per year. Indicative costs vary by MX appliance model and bandwidth capacity: entry-level MX appliances (MX68) start from approximately £500–£900 for hardware, with annual licence (Enterprise or Advanced Security) adding £300–£600 per device per year. For larger deployments (MX250, MX450 for hub sites), hardware and licence costs scale considerably higher. SASE functionality via Cisco Secure Connect requires additional licensing. Request current UK pricing from a Cisco-authorised UK partner.
Is Cisco Meraki suitable for UK deployments?
Yes. Cisco has one of the deepest UK partner and reseller networks in enterprise networking, providing strong local support for Meraki deployments. UK-based Meraki deployments are fully supported with UK data residency options via the Meraki cloud platform. Cisco Secure Access (SSE for SASE) includes UK PoP coverage, ensuring internet-bound traffic is secured without international hairpinning. UK public sector organisations should note Cisco's extensive public sector certifications and G-Cloud listing.
What is the difference between Cisco Meraki and Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN?
Cisco offers two distinct SD-WAN platforms. Meraki SD-WAN (MX appliances) is cloud-managed, simple to deploy, and best for distributed SMB-to-mid-market environments prioritising ease of use. Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN (formerly Viptela) is a software-defined overlay platform for complex large enterprise deployments with advanced routing, segmentation, and cloud integration requirements. Both can be part of Cisco's SASE offering (Cisco Secure Access with Meraki SD-WAN, or Cisco Secure Access with Catalyst SD-WAN), but they serve different buyer profiles and technical use cases.
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