Cisco Meraki and Catalyst Wireless – Better Together

Scott Irey presented the launch announcement of Cloud Monitoring for Catalyst Wireless, which is an extension of Cloud Monitoring for Catalyst Switching introduced about 18 months prior. Starting in April, users can access the early public beta release to onboard Catalyst wireless controllers. This release marks the first round of native integration with iOS XE, aiming to simplify network operations.

Scott discussed the primary goals of Cloud Monitoring, emphasizing simplification of operations, event monitoring, performance monitoring, and the introduction of new features such as configuration history and image upgrades for Catalyst devices. He also highlighted the ease of performing packet captures with the new system, which requires fewer steps compared to traditional methods.

Scott addressed the API-driven nature of the system, the plan to bring intelligent packet capture to the system, and the licensing structure, which includes Cloud Monitoring with DNA licenses, with the Advantage license offering additional client traffic analytics.

The presentation went into detail about the native integration of Meraki tunnel with iOS XE, the registration process for Catalyst devices, and the onboarding process, which involves claiming the device in the dashboard and deciding how to organize the APs. Scott also clarified that the APs only need to reach the dashboard during registration, after which all communication is through the controller.

Scott then demonstrated the onboarding process, showing how to claim a controller and add it to a network in the dashboard. He also discussed the limitations of the current system compared to native Meraki devices, the strategic positioning of the Meraki dashboard compared to DNA Center, and future capabilities like configuration management and software upgrades.

The presentation concluded with an overview of how the Meraki dashboard pulls data from iOS XE data stores and the possibility of integrating AI-driven solutions in the future.