Documentation Needed: How to offboard Cloud-Native IOS XE Switches from Meraki?

[FCU_JE]

Just to put this up-front : I have been playing around with the new Cloud-Native IOS-XE and to say I'm unimpressed would be an understatement. So I'm biased and I may not be thinking entirely straight.

Meraki has documentation here on how to offboard switches from Cloud Monitoring for Catalyst. I think the documentation leaves something to be desired, but it exists.

Meraki does not appear to have documentation for how to offboard switches from Cloud-Native (Hybrid Operating Mode). My focus is on hybrid, not cloud operating mode so I have blinders on in that respect.

The problem and reason for this post is - unless I'm missing it - there isn't documentation on how to offboard a switch from Cloud-Native mode. Is it as simple as deleting the device from the network? But then should I remove it from my organization? Is there a benefit in doing so? What about on the switch itself, should I run `no service meraki connect`?

Are the cloud IDs deterministic for each switch or randomly assigned if I choose to run `service meraki connect` again in the future?

[Brash]

Hybrid mode is still new. It is replacing the old "Cloud monitoring" mode.

It has only been released around a month ago and is still in the process of rolling out to all regions/dashboards.
Introducing Cloud & Hybrid Operating Mode for Catalyst Switches 📣 - The Meraki Community

The documentation itself is still pretty light. I suspect it will be updated in the next few months with a lot more detail.

Connect Hybrid Operating Mode Catalyst Switch to Dashboard - Cisco Meraki Documentation

For now, I suggest engaging Meraki support to confirm the procedure. It's likely something that is internally documented but yet to make its way to external documentation.

[cmr]

@FCU_JE I'd echo what @Brash said.  In my experience, having off boarded and then on boarded several Catalyst switches, the Meraki cloud ID is derived rather than random, so does remain consistent for each device.

[FCU_JE]

@Brash and @cmr - responding to both of you at once.

>Hybrid mode is still new. It is replacing the old "Cloud monitoring" mode. It has only been released around a month ago and is still in the process of rolling out to all regions/dashboards.

According to support case 13057290 this is incorrect, quote "Hybrid mode is already available for our entire customer base. The current documentation is outdated and needs to be updated accordingly." This makes sense as after all, new organizations can't even onboard the previous cloud monitoring method as of May 1st, so it stands to reason they would enable it for all customers.

>In my experience, having off boarded and then on boarded several Catalyst switches, the Meraki cloud ID is derived rather than random, so does remain consistent for each device.

I can confirm (sample size of one) that this does appear to be the case - toggling the `service meraki connect` off/on does not change the Meraki serial/claim id.

>For now, I suggest engaging Meraki support to confirm the procedure. It's likely something that is internally documented but yet to make its way to external documentation.

I mean idk about you guys but lately I've found Meraki is pretty slow to respond to my cases and even if I call in, I have to get triaged to someone on the Catalyst team and almost every time that's been quite difficult to do. It would be far more efficient for all customers if Meraki just published the documentation now, even if it's incomplete.

I will resist a full rant, but it's really telling that Meraki has this available to all customers but hasn't even completed publishing documentation.