I feel like my 2018 goals just keep growing by the day!
Where to begin..... ah yes I can't forget my trusty side kicks Fox & Hound to help me find the two end of a wire or port. As I take on this fateful quest of sleighing the Medusa of instability and horrible foresighted network. I will admit though that I am planning on enlisting outside help in this quest, so that it's as perilous to a minimum, and having a brand new full Meraki stake drop shipped to my many different locations. While I wait for the C-level "gods" to bless my quest I sit and plan the trek of configuration hoping to implore my dearest friend VLAN to aid in the configuration of this trek. So that as I can got to each stopping point and sleigh the Medusa's head that is waiting for me.
I am so excited about this new year and what our relationship with Meraki brings to our company that I want to share our future projects that Meraki plays a big part in
"
In a conversation with Meraki yesterday; learned that we can now perform firmware upgrades on individual switches.
What this means:
LACP issue @ PDC can be addressed by only updating MS-225 switches
BDC “software panic” switch can have firmware updated"
on Jan 8 20186:51 AM - last edited on Aug 7 20182:41 PM by CarolineS
Hi All,
My Goal for 2018 ist to better understand the API from Meraki. and to do this i want to Automate the CAT Door so only the cat living there can enter the door.
Have a look at my Meraki CAT Door Solution witch all Material is already there it just need to be done :-)
who has a cat and finds this fun? please send me a lot of kudos :-) I will post all the code necessary on the community if i am finish.
Convert from ASA 5505 Sec Plus with multiple site to site tunnels and a number of hosted services behind it to MX85 while having zero outage in next 12 days. Site to sites are not Meraki so that is not the easy part, zero outage is possible with two circuits running WAN 1 & WAN2 which is an easier part, and two clients are already booking travel for me this month so doing the rule sets remotely is the easiest part.
Brushed aluminum Meraki devices sure are beautiful, but adding rainbow LEDs that dance to TRON theme....well...not sure how you could improve on that product!
We started a hosted VOIP rollout that was supposed to move rather quickly. So quickly, in fact, that we determined the rack housing the current equipment could be better used elsewhere.
Now our "phone system" just sits on the floor like a sad toddler:
Now we are waiting for approval to purchase the new equipment, which somehow slipped through. We can't change names on the phones and you can no longer dial into voicemail from outside. Not to mention the system thinks it is currently April 29, 2010.
The resolution is to move on to something from THIS century, as the voicemail server is running NT 4.
And having the correct date isn't currently on the feature list of our proposed solution, but we might add it!
The Meraki side is much easier, just finish swapping out APs when we can and hope that we can upgrade to some MS Swtiches to go along with our MX devices at all locations. Maybe getting a little further along with the Azure vMX would be nice too.
Last year I committed to creating a Meraki failover to USB 4G system at my sites around the globe, including
US, Brazil, India, China, Japan, Germany, and The Netherlands.
I must complete this in 2018.
It was far from easy but I have been successful at implementation at 3 sites in the US and one site in The Netherlands.
Since the Meraki-listed compatible modems are ALL virtually no longer available in any country, and the model upgrade to a listed modem is not compatible, I have had to purchase USB 4G modems from where ever I could find them for the US sites.
Germany, Brazil, India, China, and Japan have none of the listed modems available either.
I have a Meraki MX64 deployed in all these countries but I need Meraki to give me an updated list with currently available USB Modems that are compatible.
I have run across many other Meraki customers experiencing the same.
We upgraded the network stacks for our two US offices in 2017, Now it is time to update our old antiquated network infrastructure in the New Zealand offices. We are moving form an old 100 MB throughput router to a Cisco Meraki MX device and changing out the entire network switching that is a mismatch array of 5 different systems with MS 325 switches and covering the entire floor with WiFi APs from MEraki as well. This will help our corporate IT in the US to be able to help manage the infrastructure remotely. Only down side is it takes away a reason to travel to beautiful NZ.
My Server Room!....Don't these belong in the "closet"
Oh...No room at the "Inn"... This is truly a "closet". There is Meraki equipment someplace in there!
All I want is everything in one place, with it's own AC, not a fan, with everything in a rack and tidy. Is that too much to ask??? Oh well, life is still pretty good....
This year I will be continuing on our 10Gb rollout by purchasing the following equipment
5 x MS225-48FP
5 x MS225-24P
2 x MS225-24
1 x MS220-8P
2 x MS220-8
There may also be another MX unit added to the list. The rest of my budget is going towards hardware rollovers and more network monitoring software such as PRTG. Oh and server upgrades! we are moving our servers to almost entirely SSD.
My goal for 2018 is to get all sites 34 of them to have Meraki gear, cameras and switches. So easy to configure and manage. cant wait for the change free to be over so that I can start.
I was thinking about writing a tool to build the configurations for StrongSwan for use in Amazon AWS and Azure to make it easier for people with small numbers of MX to connect them up.
I was also thinking about writing a tool that uses the API to backup as much of a config as possible, and then restore it. The idea for this is to allow for an "offline" backup. This would also make some change control processes easier. At the moment the API is not expansive enough to make it a 100% backup. I was also thinking about having it duplicate the networks and keep them in the cloud and manage the duplicates in a revision control style.
Oh yeah, I also want to get nominated for "Cisco Meraki Masters".
While at the HQ I want to meet Todd Nightingale, and I also want to meet the head of software development and the head of support. I have concerns around the current internal structure and how support and software development interact, and I would like to help orchestrate a fix to this issue from the top down.
Of course, I would also like to become a "Meraki Master", being the biggest Meraki supporter in my part of the world.
So in short, I want to use my influence to internally restructure Meraki to make it a better company when dealing with its customers - and write tools to help Meraki network administrators.
Two big(-ish) jobs for a part-time technician in a rather small school:
- Set up an Elasticsearch / Logstash / Kibana server to feed with all of the syslog information from the Meraki MX, MR and MS units here as well as events of interest from the Event Logs of our Windows endpoints. ALL THE LOGGING
- As part of this, make a big push to move all our services off a single PowerEdge T110 running 2008r2 onto a couple of rack mount servers so that I can run more services in VMs (including the above logserver), and also get everything onto Windows 10/Server 2016.
Bonus: Try to grab me a Meraki Certification, and maybe a Google Apps Administration one too.
My 2018 New Years resolution is to complete my migration from a rat's nest to a masterpiece. Migrating away from old, unsupported Cisco switches that were integrated into this Frankenstein of a Network. New MX Firewalls have been installed at all 3 sites and have all three connected together. Have already spun up new Meraki Wireless as well. Next step is to have more insight into traffic flow, implement traffic shaping, and then finally implement Systems Manager for more control of BYOD. Loving what I have already!
Clean up server rooms (this should be EVERYONE's goal)
Continue upgrading our infrastructure to 10gb (currently 1 property is 100% SMF, 10gb between all switches)
Figure out a way to get rid of the phone in hotel rooms
Find the magic combination of words that will let non VAR Meraki accounts become Meraki Masters
Visit the 500 Terry building again to see the new museum
And some of our personal shame items...
This has actually been cleaned up once...So has this...Fiber came loose out of the Chinese finger trap right at the last 3 inches of conduit! Got it out eventually.Needs some TLCTravel more! Seat 2A from Puerto Plata, DR to Toronto, CN. Rocking the Meraki green!Spend more time relaxing. Can't be server room cleanups 24/7!
Find a way to leverage the Meraki API's to download and compare configurations as well as to upload/write changes to current Meraki device configurations.
My uplink is USB modem to T-Mobile and its performance is not too bad! I'm streaming video on my iPad and Apple TV, using my laptop and phone, and using all kinds of little wireless doodads to monitor my environment with my smart thermostat, mini/dot voice-activated devices, and phone app(s).
This is in the trailer (and my lab), where I live and where I can use SD-WAN features to monitor and control my environment and give me remote access to systems inside. I hope to use Meraki capabilities (including a load-balancing regime across two mobile uplinks and perhaps a VPN) to make this a totally controlled remote environment wherever I go.
For 2018 I hope to develop a means by which I can control and monitor Meraki devices at scale and help businesses develop smart tools to manage their network devices, with Meraki as the core for access and distribution. I only lack a camera or two to complete my remote management suite so I can monitor the area around my trailer to make sure no one is tampering with my lab. With POE and insulated wiring I can probably do that without the Meraki camera, but I sure would like to get one!
I'm compiling a wish list:
1. Camera(s)
2. Second Meraki FW to establish full-time VPN tunnel to the lab, with mobile uplink.
3. Second Meraki AP to provide remotely manageable wireless environment on the opposite end.
4. Several examples of how to use the API to handle Merakis at scale and provide real-time configuration adjustment to meet the conditions of low bandwidth, poor signal/performance, unreliable connections in far-flung, remote areas.
Meanwhile, I'll pursue my other passion: helping to manage a very complex, multi-site, IoT infrastructure for a company with its own challenges of far-flung, remote areas (but with a larger budget than mine!). I'm really looking forward to 2018!
I hope to be finishing my CCNP certification and snagging a Network Programmability cert.
This year i hope to get this Babies shipped back to Meraki Manufacture, get replacements, that way i will work our nine-sites from my farm,"better yield in 2018 i expect.
We are going to utilize the API’s more effectively. One of our goals is to use the API to pull current uplink info from all of our retail locations and dynamically update our AWS security rules based on real time information from our firewalls
I have two new year's resolutions related to Cisco Meraki:
Make proof-of-concept and tests on a wireless network in a hospitality environment with the integration of Bluetooth/beacons for the location of resources, and providing information to people with an app.
Start my own blog about network engineering and Cisco Meraki in particular. The blog is online since a few days, now I need to add more content, certainly in relation to point 1 of this list.
In 2018, one of the challenges of the IT team is to adapt the network infrastructures to the strategic goals of the organization. With more mobility and many applications that are hosted in the cloud, IT managers are under pressure because they need safer, more agile and more efficient networks.
We all felt uneasy when the door of a technical room is open because obviously it looks more like a "plate of pasta" than the result of a structured thought.
Yes, current LANs are probably unsuitable because they have been imagined they are many years for other uses. They are often vulnerable because it’s difficult updating their "firmware", they keep often some vulnerabilities. The level of security is probably lower than on WLAN access.
The first resolution is better to understand the current uses of LANs (wired) with better visibility especially at application levels (L7). Applications have migrated to the cloud; probably the uses of workstations also evolve.
Workstations (tablet, surface, MacBook, ...) allow mobility which will imply the implementation of a WLAN and reduce wired access for workstations.
An MR with multi-gigabit access switch could reduce the cost (cabling and access equipment).
An MS350-24X switch can collect it in Multi Gigabit up to 8 MR 53 (802.11 AC Wave 2) which will reduce the number of cables at the technical premises that increase the bandwidth with 10 GbE links to the core of the network. Indeed, it's easy in 2018 to imagine that a 48-port L2 switch is cleverly replaced with only one powerful MR (802.11ac wave2). This immediately reduces the clutter in the technical rooms.
Imagine the transformation in a building if the access to the network is mainly carried out through the MR53.
Communication evolves, it is possible to give up an IP phone set on his desk in favor of a Bluetooth headset and an application like Sparks on a "Surface", it reduces the dependence "wired" to the benefit of more mobility.
The second resolution is to increase the security level when accessing workstations (802.1X / ISE for example). This will also allow the dynamic allocation of VLAN is facilitate the trivialization of access "copper" that can persist. It also provides the same level of security for "wired" and "Wi-Fi" access.
Finally, with a Dashboard, it is possible to have a wide visibility and to launch remote tests, traces, with to the tools available on the MS, MR and MX. It's better understand the uses of the users for constantly adapting the infrastructure to the needs and facilitated everyone's mission.
A resolution is also through remote work to decrease the presence in offices and on the roads. We can devote at least a day of work a week at home with a Z3.
For the few cables that will remain, there is a MV camera could check that the installed cables keep the right length, the right color and that all the closet (with the opened door) stay pleasant to Watch!
My resolution is to reduce the outbreak of bears in the data center by 30% this year. Meraki is like bear repellent and makes my life easier.My resolution is to reduce the outbreak of bears in the data center by 30% this year. Meraki is like bear repellent and makes my life easier.
Ahh, from the city of sin.... The sin? I will tell you my "inherited sins". I was brought into this company as the Network Manager to "clean things up" in March of 2017. What in the hell did I get myself into?
We have 9 locations worldwide. All connected via VPN back to Vegas. Here is the sin.... All of them in a single broadcast domain!!!!! ALL OF THEM DEFAULT VLAN 1!!!!!!! Are you fricken kidding me!!!
Current setup in most locations, Sonicwall (I hate SW with a passion) on the edge as the gateway and serving DHCP for the respective location on top of old EOL/EOS access switches. Anything from old cats, 4500s, 300 series Cisco SB and dell switches and a rats’ nest of cables like most of you have already posted. This is a multi-million dollar corporation running on garbage.
THE PLAN….
Rip it all out!!! I have already received the equipment for 4 of our properties. With just myself and one brave solder it’s all the time and budget I will have for this year.
Consisting of MX firewalls, Nexus 9Ks, MS225 access layer switch’s and of course MR33 APs.
Ill report back at the end of the year. Next year in 2019… 4 more properties.
I work in the world of Virtual Reality. Meraki has made that my reality. It's absolutely amazing. This year my goals (resolutions), is to expand from 8 countries over 4 continents 17 sites worldwide too well world domination. Our goal is to have 50+ sites by the end of the year. Of course, with expanding and growing there are always new and better ways to be more efficient and make growing pains as painless as possible. Since discovering the Community, my knowledge and the questions that I've been asking both internal and external have grown exponentially. In a nutshell this year I plan on being more involved with the Community and become knowledgeable enough for people of the Community to seek me out and want to learn how to make their systems and solutions better.
Peep the MX up topWhen your Sys Admin leaves the company after 6 years, the old PBX guy didn't bother to terminate all pairs(who even does that), drives on the Hyper-V are failing and you're supposed to replace the batteries in the UPS, this is the least of your worries.... Peep the MX just sitting on top of the rack
- Alexa Integration with the Meraki API - Allow Alexa for voice control of the Meraki dashboard. Who needs a computer these days?
- Meraki evangelize! Showcasing how networking infrastructure can be used to improve business insights and digital marketing by the power of Meraki networking!
- Strong SD-WAN push. Cutting customers WAN costs, putting the power in their hands, not their Telco's. Showcase how easy SD-WAN allows the ability to modernize your WAN architecture for the cloud era.
- Continue to help and promote the Meraki Community by sharing knowledge of Meraki.
- Obtain more Meraki SWAG! - I'm starting to create my own little Meraki SWAG Museum!
My whole home network has been getting re-done for the past year and a half. Currently using two access points to provide our 1000/1000 fiber connection to my users. My goal is to finish running new ethernet and phone wires to select location to prepare for a VoIP transition in the future.
2018 Plans:
-Put fiber and coax in new conduit being ran to telco pole.
-Run seperate fiber feed to our garage for internet and VoIP connection for intercom and phone.
-Replace our current surveillance system (hoping to buy some Meraki cameras).
-Re-do my service loops to our phone punch down block (I did individual loops, looks shabby to me).
-Move voice services to an IP phone provider.
Here is my current setup - I did not take the pictures before I started working on it but there was no rack or telephone box before
Also, at the office I am hoping to convince IT that they need a rack, a real router, and some new switches!
Super impressed with the full network roll-outs, the SDWAN focus, the aboutnetworks.net blog, and the amount of people looking to clean up cabling... and of course my favorite: "Get a job dealing with Meraki exclusively. Such a great line of products."
Almost all of my resolutions are Meraki-related... including more participation in the Community.
