For many businesses in the United States, their workforces access the Internet through smartphones, Wi-Fi connections, and laptops. Cisco’s cloud-hosted Meraki is an excellent solution for ventures that want to sustain their internet connectivity requirements.

There is no doubt that networks have grown in size and complexity. Organizations seeking to embrace these networks must ensure that their purchase decisions go beyond the associated hardware costs by reviewing certain recurring operational costs. Key functional features such as network complexity, revision management, initial configurations, revision management, and troubleshooting significantly contribute to the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) associated with a particular networking choice.

Cisco’s Meraki is a significant game-changer in the global cloud networking environment. Those who choose to go to Meraki can benefit from the immense cost-saving abilities associated with this cloud networking option. Here’s a complete guide on how to save money when renewing your Cisco Meraki.

What is Cisco Meraki?

Cisco Meraki is a cloud-managed networking solution whose presence seeks to leverage the bottlenecks depicted in traditional networking systems. As the global leader in cloud-controlled networking operations, Cisco Meraki offers its consumer segments high-quality networking services that scale to businesses of all sizes through a single access dashboard.

In essence, Meraki has dramatically influenced its user’s thoughts concerning network management. Meraki’s out-of-bound cloud-based architecture makes your networks secure, scalable, and easy to manage from any location.

Meraki requires its clients to purchase annual licenses per device to continue using its solution. However, it is worth noting that Meraki’s upfront deployment charges are slightly lower than those of other on-premise solutions offered by Cisco.

Why Does It Matter?

The quality of the network you use in your business or home settings matters greatly. This aspect explains why you must always pay attention to upgrading your network switches.

In workplace settings, you must adopt network switches that are reliable, easily manageable, scalable, and compatible with modern technologies. Cisco’s Meraki is a great networking solution that bundles all these features.

Here are the key reasons why Cisco Meraki’s cloud networking box matters.

The Wireless Access Points

Meraki comes with a series of cloud-managed Meraki Access Points to initiate simplified management while enhancing visibility into the network.

Compared to the traditional networking devices, Meraki’s MR line of the access point is a little bit easier and inexpensive to deploy and may scale to environments of all sizes.

The benefits presented here are stated below.
  • Increased capacity
  • Meraki’s mesh networking protocols will extend its coverage to hard-to-wire locations by creating a self-healing network resilient to switch and cable incapacities.
  • Optimally scalable plug-and-play utilization
  • Meraki’s optimal speed over wider bandwidths makes it suitable for transferring HD audio and video profiles.
  • Unrivalled control and visibility
  • Meraki’s wireless access points are ideal for ventures with remote offices and multiple locations as they are centrally managed from the cloud.

The Firewalls Provide Quality

Meraki offers 100% threat management to the computer systems it is attached to. It will include the following protective capabilities:

  • Content filtering
  • Web caching
  • Preventing intrusions
  • Filtering web searches
  • 4G failover
Meraki’s layer seven fingerprinting innovation effectively identifies unwanted applications and content, filters web traffic, and blocks recreational sites from overusing bandwidth.

The Switches You Can Take Advantage Of

Cisco’s Meraki gives you the opportunity to centrally manage the network from a single point. In essence, Meraki’s virtual stacking technologies allow for unified management of as many as thousands of ports with cloud-based provisions that give room for added port capacity without pre-staging.

Meraki’s switches are available in 24-port, 8-port, and 48-port configurations and will come with practical and highly efficient troubleshooting tools like event logs, remote packet captures, and cable tests. The device allows you to prioritize all forms of business-critical traffic through its easily applicable quality-of-service regulations.

Why Do People Need the Cisco Meraki?

Besides its ability to present immense cost advantages, Cisco’s Meraki offers a range of outcomes you cannot forfeit.

Here are the reasons why people need Cisco Meraki as a cloud-managed network solution.

  • You will benefit from the Meraki Dashboard, an enterprise-grade cloud management system.
  • The Meraki system comes with stackable L2 and L3 switches that incorporate innovative attributes aided by the power of cloud-managed architectures. 
  • The device will present you with cloud-managed access points (both indoor and outdoor) with built-in Bluetooth low-energy beaconing and wireless security systems. 
  • Meraki can be easily integrated with a cloud-delivered secure internet gateway that protects your systems from threats like C2 callbacks, ransomware, and malware. 
  • Like other Cisco innovations, the Meraki is designed to offer maximum security both in small and large-scale applications. 
  • You are set to benefit from the outstanding user experiences associated with Cisco’s Meraki. 
  • All the switches on your Meraki device can support virtual stacking, which allows you to manage all switch ports installed on one switch. 
  • Meraki’s Layer 7 traffic visibility gives you total control of the system. You can filter and report traffic on your network and create rules that allow you to manage user domains while blocking or limiting ineffective user speeds. 
  • You will have the excellent opportunity to benefit from Cisco Meraki’s intelligent WAN traffic optimization. 
  • Free automatic software upgrades 
  • Meraki presents you with consistent and replicable configurations. You won’t need to worry the next time you open a new office in Chicago. You’ll need to copy your original configurations and apply them to your brand-new site with just a few clicks.

The Cost Advantages of Renewing your Cisco Meraki and

Your network devices are meant to make life easy. The ease must be experienced in all dimensions-from the operational and structural to the financial dimensions. Even though the customers of Cisco’s Meraki have the ultimate promise to enjoy cost-effective services, some still complain that the innovative device is expensive.

How To Save Money on Your Next Cisco Meraki License Purchase

Here’s how to save money on your next Cisco Meraki License purchase.

Use it in Multiple Switches.

Using your renewed Cisco Meraki license on multiple devices gives you a long-term cost advantage over your counterparts using it on a single location or device. Reliable rumours say that entities with over 1,000 employees, 300 Meraki switches, and over 150 sites will gain up to 80% cost savings with a single renewed license. However, these cost-saving margins may only be effectively attained if the organization uses the zero-touch cloud provisioning approach.

You may wonder, “How is this possible?” Well, you can save 80% when renewing your Meraki license with optimal usage. Meraki can configure your switches and licenses even before they arrive at your headquarters.

Meraki’s virtual stacking feature allows Cisco to add and configure the licensed switches you have renewed to the cloud, replicating the settings. Once connected to the central system, the switches will automatically update the associated configuration settings and software.

Downgrade your business/institution/organization from the Secure SD-WAN status to Enterprise.

This could work miracles if you want to understand the meaning of cost-saving and cost advantage when renewing your Cisco Meraki license. Cisco allows you to purchase and apply Enterprise SD-WAN settings to transform your business or organization into an enterprise.

The downgrading process isn’t as complex as you may think. You will only have to contact Meraki’s Support by writing an email or phone call to have your business downgraded. However, you will not have the opportunity to receive additional time from the downgraded license key if you choose to go this route since the process is irreversible.

Go For a Long-Term License When Renewing

A long-term license renewal deal could save you a lot of bucks. Cisco’s Meraki adopts the same principle applied in retail settings- bulk buying presents; lots of cost-saving advantages. This option could be adopted by institutions in deep need of a long-term networking partner.

Meraki will offer you 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10-year options whenever you approach their site to purchase a renewal key. You will part with $225 (normal undiscounted price) when buying a 1-year Meraki license. However, a 3-year license will cost you $450 (saving $225), while a 5-year license will cost you $675 (worth $450 in savings), and a 7-year license will cost you $945(saving $630). Similarly, a 10-year license will cost you $1,350 (saving $900).

Apart from real-time savings and long-term license renewals, you also save the operational inconveniences of disconnection when you forget to pay on time. The statistics reveal the immense cost savings you will get by initiating long-term renewals.

The Meraki Brings Many Advantages

As you can see, Meraki brings a wide array of advantages to your organization and can help boost productivity and overall value. A large number of organizations adopt the product each year, and the trend is unlikely to stop.

If you find Cisco Meraki products expensive, remember that you can take advantage of several paths to lower your overall costs. The team will work with you to ensure that you reduce your costs.