Cisco Meraki MX security and SD-WAN appliances are powerful all-in-one devices that provide unified threat management (UTM) and SD-WAN capabilities. In this article, we will explore the key features, benefits, and performance benchmarks of the Cisco Meraki MX devices.

Key Features and Benefits

The Cisco Meraki MX devices offer a wide range of features and benefits that make them an ideal choice for securing and managing your network. Some of the key features include:

1. Unified Threat Management (UTM): The MX devices come with advanced security features such as Cisco Advanced Malware Protection (AMP), content filtering, web-safe search, and IDS/IPS (SNORT). These features provide comprehensive protection against malware, suspicious network traffic, and unauthorized access.

2. HTTPS Inspection: The MX devices support HTTPS inspection, which allows for advanced security features to be applied to HTTPS traffic. This ensures that even encrypted traffic is thoroughly inspected for any potential threats.

3. VPN Connectivity: The MX devices offer secure site-to-site VPN tunnels, allowing for encrypted communication between different locations. The number of VPN tunnels supported varies depending on the MX model, ranging from 10 to 5,000 tunnels.

4. Network Performance: The MX devices are designed to deliver high-performance network connectivity. They offer impressive throughput capabilities, ranging from 100 Mbps to 5 Gbps, depending on the model. Additionally, they support WAN failover, auto VPN tunnel failover, and dynamic path selection for seamless network connectivity.

Performance Benchmarks

To help you choose the right MX model for your network, Cisco provides industry-standard benchmarks for MX appliances. These benchmarks measure the maximum throughput, VPN performance, and other key metrics. Here are some performance benchmarks for different MX models:

• Max Stateful (Layer 3) Firewall Throughput in NAT mode: Ranging from 100 Mbps to 5 Gbps, depending on the MX model.
• Max VPN Throughput: Ranging from 50 Mbps to 2 Gbps, depending on the MX model.
• Max Throughput with all Security Features Enabled: Ranging from 300 Mbps to 2.5 Gbps, depending on the MX model.
• Max Site-to-Site VPN Tunnels: Ranging from 10 to 5,000 tunnels, depending on the MX model.

Use Case Recommendations

While there is no hard limit on the number of users that can be deployed on MX appliances, Cisco provides some recommended use cases based on user counts. These recommendations help ensure optimal performance and scalability. Here are some recommended use cases for different MX models:

• MX67/68 Series: Teleworker gateway with up to 5 devices.
• MX75: Small branch with up to 200 users.
• MX85: Small to medium branch with up to 250 users.
• MX95: Medium to large branch with up to 500 users.
• MX105: Large branch with up to 750 users.
• MX250: Campus or VPN concentrator with up to 2,000 users.
• MX450: Campus or VPN concentrator with up to 10,000 users.
• vMX: Cloud VPN concentrator with up to 2,000 users.

Conclusion

Cisco Meraki MX devices offer a comprehensive security and SD-WAN solution for businesses of all sizes. With their advanced features, high-performance benchmarks, and recommended use cases, the MX devices provide a reliable and scalable solution for securing and managing your network. Whether you are a small branch or a large enterprise, Cisco Meraki MX has the right appliance to meet your needs.

• Cisco Meraki MX: The Ultimate Security and SD-WAN Solution
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