best practice for Meraki Hub and Spoke Topology

[MirzaDz]

Hello,

Can anyone share experience regarding building Hub and Spoke topology with Meraki MX devices. Is it better on Hub location(where we have 2 MX device) create HA pair with VRRP and connect spokes and LAN to one virtual IP or use 2 separate devices without HA, and connect spokes to both Hubs and from Lan route traffic on Hub1 or Hub2 . 

Thank you,

Best regards 

[GreenMan · Accepted solution]

If the two MXs are at a single Hub location, you may well find it better (certainly simpler) to deploy them as a warm spare pair.   Remember that you only need one MX license for that pair, too.  If you have them separately, in their own Network, you need to license both separately.

[MirzaDz]

Hello,

Thank you for your quick answer. Yes both MXs are at single Hub. For now it will have just one ISP and in future additioanl one. I guess than it is better if we create warm spare, on wan interface to use shared IP, so spokes point to that shared IP ?As i see VRRP is not active on WAN interface and in case of failure wan interface thorugh LAN VRRP message it sends smaller priority right?

Regarding the LAN(it will be 1 subnet/vlan with L3 switch) if the connection going on stack with 2 switches  do you have recommendation how to setup  active connections from both mxs and backup to be blocked because of STP ? 

Thank you,

Best regards,

[GreenMan]

I'd recommend reading this in it's entirety.  From what you've described, take particular note of the Routed mode sections:   https://documentation.meraki.com/MX/Deployment_Guides/MX_Warm_Spare_-_High_Availability_Pair

[MirzaDz]

Hello,

Excatly i follow this document and above is what i concluded. Just wanted to hear from someone like you who already has experience is this good direction am i right

Thank you,

Best regards,

[GreenMan]

If you have just a single subnet and a small network at the site in question, I'm wondering why you want that to be a Hub at all - it doesn't sound like a Data Centre type location..?   Remember that you almost always make an MX a Hub because there's something at that site that you want to be available from a number of remote sites via a secure connection (usually across the Internet).   Those remote sites then becomes Spokes, connected back to that Hub.

[MirzaDz]

Hello,

Yes on HUB site is networks and application which needs to be available from a lot of remote location (spokes).

Best regards,