Cloud

Cisco Meraki’s Managed Cloud Platform Helps SMBs Work Smarter, Not Harder

This all-in-one cloud solution is simple, flexible and secure.

Jason Palkovics is a hybrid infrastructure specialist working with CDW's integrated technology services. Jason brings a passion for connecting small businesses to their customers while navigating new demands for how technology can be utilized.

For IT leaders at small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), keeping up with technology can be a daunting challenge, especially when you have limited resources and personnel. Cisco’s Meraki services, paired with CDW’s managed offerings, present a compelling solution to help SMBs streamline their network management and reduce IT complexity. Here are a few ways Meraki’s innovative platform can transform your business.

Gain an Intuitive Understanding of Your Cloud

The biggest advantage of Cisco Meraki’s cloud-based management platform is its intuitive dashboard. This feature simplifies network management by providing visibility into your infrastructure’s performance. For SMB IT teams, this reduces the time spent troubleshooting and frees them up to monitor network health. It is also an intelligent hybrid work option for teams that work from distributed offices, as it enables centralized control without the need for onsite personnel.

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Scale Your Cloud Usage Up or Down, as Needed

The Cisco Meraki platform allows businesses to scale their cloud usage up or down at a competitive price, so they only pay for what they use. This flexibility allows SMBs to grow their IT infrastructure without significant overhauls.

The platform also integrates seamlessly with hundreds of third-party solutions, making it easier for SMBs to customize their networks. And it includes tools like ThousandEyes, which provides unprecedented visibility into network traffic by allowing IT leaders to track performance across the network, troubleshoot issues quickly and even pinpoint problems with, say, an external internet service provider beyond the immediate network. This offers SMBs a level of granular insight that would otherwise only be available to larger enterprises.

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A Platform That Boosts Security and Visibility

With Meraki’s built-in security features, IT leaders benefit from 24/7 monitoring and detailed network analytics that can identify potential security risks before they escalate. For example, Meraki’s integration with solutions such as Cisco’s Duo for multifactor authentication ensures that SMBs can access enterprise-grade security features without the need for a dedicated security team. Teams can also test out Meraki hardware tools like the Catalyst 9000 switch, which provides longer-term security.

Managed Services Offer Peace of Mind

CDW’s managed services for Meraki offer comprehensive support for IT teams. This includes 24/7 monitoring, configuration management and direct support for hardware replacement. CDW performs software and license management to ensure your system remains up to date, including hardware and telco incident management with maintenance of SD-WAN, Security, VPNs, WLAN, 4G Cellular Failover and gateway services (including devices like MS switches, MR access points and MV cameras).

And should a customer’s network go down, CDW will contact the Internet Service Provider (ISP) on the customer’s behalf as part of our “first-contact incident response” courtesy offering. By outing the cloud platform and services together, SMBs can rest assured that their networks remain resilient, secure and expertly managed.

This article is part of BizTech’s AgilITy blog series.