On December 4, Stratosphere Networks and Cisco Meraki hosted a lunch ‘n learn event at the Cisco Experience Center in Rosemont, Illinois to demonstrate the features and benefits of the Meraki platform.
Meraki was created for cloud networking and has a cloud managed product family including wireless LAN, security appliances, Ethernet switches, and mobile device management. Cisco Systems Inc. – the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet – acquired Meraki in 2012 and subsequently formed Cisco’s Cloud Networking Group. Meraki is currently investing in R&D to fuel the next generation of cloud networking solutions.
During the event, Michael Donis, director of business development and general counsel for Stratosphere Networks, and Jon Engler, product sales specialist with the Cisco Systems Cloud Networking Group, explained the benefits of Meraki cloud networking. Here are five reasons why businesses might want to consider implementing Meraki networks.
- Reduced Management Burden for IT
Meraki cloud networking lets IT departments accomplish more, Engler told attendees. The platform’s capabilities enable IT professionals to accomplish more in a shorter amount of time than they could historically.“We can remove some of their management burden,” Engler said. “You’re not focused on updating code, for example. We do all of that stuff for you.” - Access to a Complete Feature Set Out of the Box
When you buy a Meraki product, you’re purchasing everything that solution is capable of doing, with no per feature licenses or additional hardware required to make use of all of its abilities. Additionally, Meraki works to ensure the features of its cloud technologies stay cutting edge and innovative: Since the 2012 acquisition, Cisco Meraki has produced more than 52 major feature updates. - Sustained ‘Feature Velocity’
The Meraki platform is built for “feature velocity,” according to Engler. That means it’s software-centric, and Meraki continually comes up with new features. Additionally, the Cisco Meraki dashboard has a “Make a Wish” feature at the bottom of every page prompting customers to complete the sentence, “I wish this page would…”The company then makes adjustments based on end users’ feedback/wishes. Since the acquisition, Meraki has granted more than 10,000 customer wishes. - Capabilities Built Specifically for the Cloud
Meraki hardware was designed to be specifically cloud-managed and cloud-delivered from the start, allowing for more effective cloud networking. That gives Cisco Meraki an edge over competitors that have retrofitted on-premise solutions to the cloud. “We’ve always lived in the cloud,” Engler said. - Anywhere, Anytime Network Access
As businesses seek to accommodate an increasingly mobile workforce, the ability to access solutions while working from home or on the go is crucial. One of the most significant benefits of cloud networks is that you can access them from anywhere, as long as you have an Internet connection. No matter where you are in the world, if you can get online, you can log into the Meraki dashboard.
Overall, cloud networking offers a number of advantages, which also include lower total cost of ownership and greater reliability. To learn more about the benefits of Meraki products, contact Stratosphere Networks today by calling 877-599-3999 or emailing Sales@StratosphereNetworks.com.
