Cisco Meraki MX84 Warm Spare

[amalmichaelvj]

Any body done Cisco Meraki MX warm spare.?

i got these two documents but not get cleared much?

https://documentation.meraki.com/MX/Deployment_Guides/MX_Warm_Spare_-_High_Availability_Pair#MX_Mode...

https://www.willette.works/mx-warm-spare/

My doubt are

1.Do in need to register Meraki warmspare Box to dashboard before starting these procedures.

2.where can i add ip address of Meraki warmspare box.

Anybody have a configuration sample to share or much detailed configuration example guide??

[CptnCrnch]

I can recall having overthought this one too. 😉

Yes, you‘ll have to add the Spare first of all. Then, simply go to the MX configuration page and create a Warm Spare pair. You‘ll be presented with the newly added spare MX and be led though the process. The IP will also be configured within this one.

Sorry that this is not a concise Howto document, but it‘s really simple.

[cmr · Accepted solution]

It is very simple, we have 9x HA pairs of MXs 😀

Note: You need 2 or 3 IP addresses for each WAN/internet connection from your provider.

1. Warm spare MX needs to be in inventory, but not in a network
2. Go to Security & SD-WAN tab for the existing appliance and in the Warm spare box click on Configure warm spare
3. There is a box with Disabled selected, click on Enabled
4. Select the MX serial number that you want to become the warm-spare, it must be the same model as the existing.
5. Depending on how many IP addresses you get from your WAN/internet providers choose Use MX uplink IPs from the Uplink IPs dropdown if you only have two, or choose Use virtual uplink IPs if you have three and enter them below.
   
   
6. If you don't have DHCP available to plug the new warm-spare MX into, go to the local status page and enter the WAN IPs, subnet masks and gateways for the WAN link(s). 
7. If you do have DHCP that gives the MX internet access then you can configure the WAN IPs from the dashboard by clicking on the page below and then going to the Uplink tab
   
   

[amalmichaelvj]

Hello cmr,

i have some doubts in step 5.

For Use MX Uplinks IPs

What i understand is i just need to add the secondary WAN in Configure warm Spare>>>WAN 1 shared IP.

And for Use Virtual IPs i can add two more WAN IPs.

So actually what is difference??

Also how can i add heatbeat to check Primary MX is down??

[cmr]

MX Uplink IPs

Existing MX WAN ports have an IP address from the provider that they are connected to.

New MX WAN ports need an additional IP address from each provider

Virtual uplink IPs

Existing MX WAN ports have an IP address from the provider that they are connected to.

New MX WAN ports need an additional IP address from each provider

A floating IP address that is held by the active MX is needed from each provider

The main benefits are:

Outbound traffic always comes from this address, not one MX and then sometimes the other.

Inbound traffic to internal services can go to the virtual IP, otherwise you need to know which MX is active by using dynamic DNS or similar with the inherent delays and complexity, it can work though.

Regarding the heartbeat, the dashboard will send emails about MX failover and WAN link failover

[amalmichaelvj]

I mean configuring part of heartbeat...

i can add a new vlan for warm spare heartbeat.And network 1.1.1.0/24 .Mx Ip 1.1.1.1 .

assign this vlan to port 4

connect port 4 between MX appliances.

thats all correct??

do I need to add any IP address 1.1.1.2 in mx warm spare box ?? Or does it automatically syn??