In short
Cloud managed networking keeps your switches, access points, firewalls and cameras on site, but you configure and monitor all of them from one web dashboard instead of local controllers and management servers. Forever Systems, a Cisco Partner, designs, supplies and supports cloud-managed networks built on Cisco Meraki, from one office to many sites.
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What cloud managed networking means
A traditional business network is managed box by box, or through controllers and management servers that you install, patch and back up yourself. In a cloud-managed network the hardware is still in your building, but its configuration, monitoring, alerts and firmware updates are handled from a web dashboard hosted by the vendor.
With Cisco Meraki that dashboard is the Meraki dashboard. Meraki describes its design as an "out of band" control plane: management data (configuration, statistics and monitoring) travels to the Meraki cloud through an encrypted tunnel, while your users' traffic goes straight to its destination on your LAN or across your WAN. If the link to the cloud drops, Meraki says devices carry on running with their last known configuration until the connection returns.
What that gives you in practice:
- one place to see every site, device and client
- the same settings pushed to many sites through templates
- firmware updates you schedule from the browser rather than device by device
- no on-site controller or management server to maintain
Our guide to what cloud networking is explains the terms, and cloud vs on-premise networking sets out the trade-offs.
Every Meraki product family, one dashboard
| Family | What it does | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Wireless access points (MR) | Indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi with RF optimisation, guest access and location features | Meraki MR series |
| Cisco Wireless Wi-Fi 7 access points | Cisco's newest access points, which can run in the Meraki cloud or on a Catalyst wireless controller | Meraki Wi-Fi 7 |
| Switches (MS) | Access, distribution, compact and rugged switches with PoE and stacking | Meraki MS switches |
| Cloud-managed Catalyst and Cisco Smart Switches | Catalyst switching onboarded into the Meraki dashboard | Catalyst in the Meraki dashboard |
| Security and SD-WAN appliances (MX, vMX) | Firewall, Auto VPN between sites, WAN failover and optional threat protection | MX licence editions |
| Teleworker gateways (Z-series) | The corporate network at home workers' desks, back to an MX over Auto VPN | Meraki teleworker gateway |
| Cellular gateways (MG) | 4G or 5G as a primary or backup internet connection | Meraki MG cellular gateways |
| Smart cameras (MV) | Security cameras with storage on the camera, viewed in the dashboard or the Meraki Vision portal | Meraki MV licence |
| Cisco Access Manager | Cloud network access control for wired and wireless users and devices | Cisco Access Manager |
| Sensors (MT) | Environmental and door sensors; end of sale announced for the whole line, last order date 10 November 2026 | Meraki MT sensors |
| Systems Manager | Meraki's device management; end of sale, supported until 3 June 2029 | Systems Manager agent |
Two families are winding down. Cisco has announced end of sale for the whole MT sensor line, with a last order date of 10 November 2026 and support until 30 November 2031, and new Systems Manager licences could only be bought until 3 June 2026. We help existing users with renewals and with planning what comes next; see Meraki end of life for the dates that matter.
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Licensing, in plain English
Every current Meraki device needs a valid licence to operate, and the licence is what keeps it managed in the dashboard. Meraki offers three licensing models, and you cannot mix them in one organisation:
- Subscription (Cisco Networking Subscription): licences bound to networks, with terms you choose and Essentials or Advantage feature tiers. Available to new and renewing customers.
- Co-termination: every licence in the organisation shares one expiry date. New organisations still start on co-term until a subscription key is claimed.
- Per-device: each device has its own expiry date. No longer available to new customers.
Our Meraki licensing models guide compares them, and there are separate pages on co-term, subscription, renewal and what happens when a licence expires. Prices depend on the devices, tiers and term, so ask us for a quote.
Meraki and Catalyst are coming together
Cisco is steadily joining its two networking lines. Select Catalyst switches can now be onboarded and fully managed in the Meraki dashboard. Cisco's Wi-Fi 7 access points and Smart Switches are built as one hardware family that can run in the Meraki cloud, in a mixed mode, or on premises with Catalyst Center, depending on the licence. And Cisco Cloud Control, announced in June 2026 and generally available since 25 August 2026 for customers managing US-based infrastructure, adds a single operations platform across Cisco networking, security and more, linking to your Meraki organisations rather than replacing the Meraki dashboard.
These changes mean the choice is less "Meraki or Catalyst" and more "which management model suits each part of the network". Our pages on Cisco Meraki vs Catalyst, Meraki Wi-Fi 7 and Cisco Cloud Control explain where things stand today.
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Security built into the network
A cloud-managed network is also a security platform, and the dashboard puts its controls in the same place as everything else.
- At the edge: MX security and SD-WAN appliances provide a stateful firewall, site-to-site Auto VPN and client VPN as standard. The Advanced Security edition adds intrusion detection and prevention, Talos content filtering and Cisco Advanced Malware Protection. See Meraki Advanced Security.
- On the LAN and Wi-Fi: VLANs, group policies and separate SSIDs keep staff, guests, payment systems and IoT devices apart.
- For users and devices: Cisco Access Manager adds cloud network access control in the dashboard, with certificate-based authentication, Microsoft Entra ID sign-in, MAC-based authentication for IoT devices and identity PSK for Wi-Fi.
- For home workers: Z-series teleworker gateways bring the corporate network and its policies to home desks.
- With the wider Cisco portfolio: Meraki MX can work with Cisco Umbrella DNS security (a separately licensed service), and Cisco's secure access services extend protection to users wherever they are. Our sister sites cover Cisco Umbrella with Meraki and Cisco SASE.
We can help you decide how much of this you need, and set it up so it matches how your organisation actually works.
Where to start
| If you need... | Start with |
|---|---|
| Reliable Wi-Fi across an office, school, hotel or warehouse | Cloud managed Wi-Fi and a wireless site survey |
| New switching with PoE for phones, access points and cameras | Cloud managed switches |
| Many branches connected and managed centrally | Multi-site networks |
| A new or moving office | Office network setup |
| Backup internet when the main line fails | Meraki MG cellular gateways |
| A licence about to expire, or a messy licence position | Meraki licensing models |
| Older Meraki kit reaching end of support | Meraki end of life |
| Small-business Meraki Go devices to replace | Meraki Go alternative |
How Forever Systems helps
Forever Systems is a Cisco Partner and part of Forever Group. Meraki sits within our wider Cisco networking work, and our main Cisco Meraki service pages cover supply and installation in more detail. Our Meraki setup page walks through how a network goes from survey and design to staging and cutover.
Forever Group also supplies leased lines, so connectivity and the network that runs over it can be planned together. Contact us to talk through your network.
More Cisco Meraki guides
Working with us on Cisco Meraki
Forever Systems helps organisations plan, buy and run cloud-managed networks built on Cisco Meraki wireless, switching, security and SD-WAN.
- Plan the network: we look at your sites, users and existing kit, and can arrange a wireless site survey before anything is ordered
- Choose the right products: access points, switches, security appliances, cellular gateways, sensors and cameras sized to what each site needs, rather than a one-size bundle
- Licensing made clear: we explain co-termination, per-device and subscription licensing, check renewal dates and quote the licences you need
- Deployment help: we can set up the Meraki dashboard, organisations, networks, templates and policies, and help move you from older or on-premise kit
- Ongoing help: changes, licence renewals and reviews as your sites grow, with the scope agreed at quote
Ask us for a quote and we will confirm what is included for your organisation.
Frequently asked questions
What is cloud managed networking?
Cloud managed networking is a way of running a business network where the switches, access points and firewalls are on your premises but are configured and monitored from a web dashboard hosted by the vendor. With Cisco Meraki, only management data goes to the cloud; your users' traffic stays on your own network and internet connection.
What happens to a Meraki network if the internet goes down?
Meraki says its devices keep running with their last known configuration if they lose their connection to the Meraki cloud, and pick up any changes once the connection returns. Local traffic between users and devices on site carries on. While the link is down you cannot make or push configuration changes from the dashboard.
Do Meraki devices need a licence?
Yes. Meraki states that all current Meraki products need valid licensing to operate. Licences are sold on subscription, co-termination or (for existing customers only) per-device models. We can quote hardware and licences together; ask us for a quote.
Is cloud managed networking only for large organisations?
No. The same dashboard runs a single small office or a network with many sites. Smaller organisations can benefit too, because there is no on-site controller or management server to look after and a partner you add as an administrator can help remotely through the dashboard.
Can you take over an existing Meraki network?
Yes. We can review your current dashboard organisation, licensing and firmware, and agree how we help from there. You can add us as an administrator with the access level you choose, and remove that access at any time.
Who runs this site?
Forever Systems, a Cisco Partner and part of Forever Group. We design, supply and support Cisco Meraki networks, which you manage in Cisco's own Meraki dashboard.
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