Keeping track of your firmware update isn’t a glamorous task, but it’s a necessary one that can consume bandwidth you probably don’t have. Perhaps you’ve checked out the improved Staged Upgrades feature, but how can you monitor upgrade progress at the individual switch level? “Does this switch have an upgrade scheduled?”, “Does anything need my attention?”. These are the common questions we all have when updating. 

We now have per-device upgrade status for each switch in a network.

Rolled out on Oct 31st (no trick, only the treat!), firmware upgrade status provides context on the upgrade status for each switch in a network, to reassure admins that firmware upgrades are progressing as scheduled. Update status flags will appear automatically for all switch networks whenever an upgrade is scheduled or in progress. 👏👏

SP-Initiated SAML Single Sign On (SSO) is now available for all customers on the Early Access page in the dashboard! This is a fully cross-compatible upgrade to existing Meraki dashboard SSO that allows customers to now use two different types of SAML SSO for the dashboard to best fit their deployment. 

This also means that SSO login is now available for the Meraki mobile app! (iOS/Android)

To learn more about this new feature, check our documentation, SP-Initiated SAML SSO Configuration Guide. To compare or learn more about Meraki’s different SAML login types, check out Configuring SAML Single Sign-on for Dashboard.

How to opt in

In the dashboard, navigate to Organization > Early Access. Opt-in by clicking the toggle button for SAML SSO.

How to provide feedback

We care about your feedback, and are actively reviewing feedback and issues related to SP-Initiated SAML SSO. While using the Early Access page, use the Give your feedback button in the bottom-right corner of the page.

Alternatively, if you have feedback for SAML SSO in the mobile app, use the Settings tab, and select Make a wish to leave feedback.

Description

Public License Move in co-termination is now available and accessible via the Early Access Page.

There are many scenarios that may require the transfer of a license from one Meraki dashboard organization to another.

Previously, moving license keys between organizations could only be performed by a member of the Meraki Support team, but now this feature is available on the dashboard and APIs to Meraki customers using the co-termination model.

This is another step towards adding more flexibility for our multi-org customers so they can save time and money spent when moving licenses in co-termination.

YES! More exciting updates to the Dashboard and Vision portal, improving the user experience of MV smart cameras. 

Now, for fisheye cameras (MV32, and newly introduced MV93 series) the installation of the cameras can be properly reflected in the dashboard and Vision portal.

We are thrilled to introduce the public preview of the improved MS staged upgrades! 

What’s new? 

Staged upgrades improves on the previous version with:

• Reusable upgrade groups
• Easier rescheduling
• Better upgrade progress monitoring
• Ability to use the API to manage and schedule staged upgrades

• A single-page workflow so the entire upgrade can be managed from the org-wide firmware page.
• Switch stacks are treated as a single logical unit, rather than assigning individual stack member switches to upgrade stages.

Global Overview public beta is live and accessible to all customers as part of our Next Generation Dashboard initiative. This was built for customers that have more than one organization and has new features based on the feedback we have received from many of our customers.

Today is iOS 16 launch day and Meraki Systems Manager is ready! Systems Manager has new OS compatibility and profiles to support the latest operating systems from Google and Apple. For iOS 16: new eSIM enhancements, new Single Sign On settings, and new Restrictions! Plus, new app management integrations for Android. 

Have you wondered how to do more (monitoring) with less (windows open) on Vision portal?

...you have questions, we have answers!

Putting endpoints to sleep to save energy doesn’t normally play well with 802.1X. You often have to make a choice between compromising security or keeping devices awake 24/365. With more pressure on IT energy savings on the one hand and rising cybersecurity threats expected to continue on the other hand, network pros (like you) are getting a seemingly impossible mission. 

Great news! We are excited to share the public preview of the new MS 802.1X Control Direction (1XCD)! This public preview is now available for all orgs on the switch access policies page. 

Public preview allows all customers to test the feature and leverage Meraki support if they encounter issues. However, this feature is still considered “beta” and customers should be prepared to test for unexpected issues that may occur before deciding to roll out the feature to critical networks.

Cisco Meraki has partnered with AWS to announce the general availability of Quick Start vMX on AWS Cloud WAN. This integrated solution enables customers to build wide area networks across AWS regions and connect to the Meraki SD-WAN fabric - using Meraki vMX - in just a few easy steps.

You’ve spoken, and we’ve heard. Get more done in the Vision Portal. 

Have different networks in your organization, and looking to watch cameras from different locations in one place?

Great news! Now, you are able to create a cross-network video wall. That’s right, with the ability to add 16 cameras to a single video wall, you can view all relevant video footage in one space. 

Ever get asked “what is xyz feature, when is it coming, which firmware is it in, etc.”?

As you may have noticed, we launched the Next Generation of the Meraki dashboard on June 13th! This release includes a brand new look and feel on dashboard, as well as a new Organization Summary page. 

Do you want to create some #Merakimagic with your Wi-Fi network?  We’ve got some really cool features coming out with our next firmware release - MR29.1 - ready now for public beta.

While this release offers a host of enhancements, the top features that I am most excited about include Wireless Personal Network (WPN), Band Steering & Client Balancing, as well as expanded IoT support.

Top Features:

• Wireless Personal Network (WPN) - offering the ability to segment the wireless network on a per-user basis to provide a home-like personal network experience on a shared network (single VLAN).  This feature is particularly well suited for shared environments such as university dorms, hotels, senior homes, etc. 

Do you have a high-density environment in which users complain about performance issues?  MR29.1 adds both Band Steering and Client Balancing to optimize performance and improve the user experience.  

• Band Steering  detects clients capable of 5GHz operation and steers them to that frequency, leaving the more crowded 2.4GHz band available for legacy clients; while Client Balancing uses information about the state of the network and wireless client probes to steer the client to the best available access point - improving download and upload performance while reducing loss and latency for mission-critical applications.  

This is a WIN-WIN for everyone! 

Are you wondering what do you do with that USB port on your MR57?  How about some IoT applications! One in particular is Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL):

• MR29.1 offers Expanded IoT Support via USB port (6E APs only) for SoluM and Hanshow USB gateways.

Other features include enhancements to Mesh Networking and IPv6. 

If you need more information on how to manage your firmware upgrades, check out this article or the FAQs page on firmware.

New settings assignment interface with ability for account configurations, provisioning packages, automatic bootstrap token collecting (for OSUpdate and Kernel extensions in Apple Silicon Macs), and native Apple Silicon SM agent. 

Cisco+ Secure Connect—SASE as-a service for any device, any application, any location

We have an exciting new update that makes it easier to find video across time ranges, giving you a better overall search experience.

• Time range filter for Motion Search

You now have a more guided approach in the Vision portal when using Advanced Motion Search.

We've been hard at work updating the Vision Portal. 

Keep reading for updates to improve your workflow!

"With Umbrella’s Powerful Security comes Meraki's Great Simplicity"

The Meraki Vision portal now has new updates to improve navigation between organizations, find cameras of interest, and improve video playback on video walls. 

The Meraki Vision portal now supports zooming in on individual cameras from the video wall.

The integration between Meraki SD-WAN and ThousandEyes bringing Internet Insights to the Meraki platform   

MT sensor data is officially available via API or MQTT telemetry stream, making it easier than ever for Meraki customers and partners to manage sensor data at scale or build custom business solutions.

For the first time, you can now use single sign-on to log in to the Meraki mobile app. In addition, the Meraki Dashboard now supports single sign-on directly from the login screen, without needing to start at your identity provider.

We're looking for customers interested in getting an early look at this new feature that can also provide valuable feedback.

Your business needs the right solutions to adapt your networks to the new hybrid work paradigm while maintaining security and reliability. SASE enables the convergence of networking and security in the cloud to deliver secure access to applications, anywhere users work.

That’s why Meraki is announcing the general availability (GA) of the Meraki Umbrella SD-WAN connector, which integrates the Meraki MX security and SD-WAN appliance with Cisco Umbrella to enable rapid deployment of cloud security across your SD-WAN network.

Additional Shared Devices features and support, Windows Trusted Access beta, Android Google Play Store beta app update channel, API improvements, reminder about new operating systems support, and more!