As we move into fall 2017, Meraki continues to expand the range of their devices. This season, they're focusing on their firewalls and security appliances by releasing new models which fill in gaps in their existing product lineup, while also significantly boosting throughput.
The first of these to release is the Cisco Meraki MX250, which could be described as the lowest of their high-end firewalls. It's aimed primarily at medium-large sized operations, although huge organizations could also make use of it in secondary or tertiary roles. It prioritizes
Let's take a look.
A First Peek At The Meraki MX250 Security Appliance
At heart, the MX250 isn't too much different from other Meraki firewalls and includes all the same standard features. However, it includes a few key attributes:
- It supports up to 2,000 concurrent users,
Its standard firewall throughput is an impressive 4Gbps,- VPN throughput is 1Gbps, and
- It includes no less than 24 LAN ports on top of its two 10G SFP+ uplinks.
The LAN ports
Plus, of course, you get all the standard features that make Meraki security appliances such an excellent investment, particularly if you add on the optional Advanced Security License - which we highly recommend. With the ASL installed, the MX250 provides a full suite of security tools including URL filtering, anti-intrusion measures, and a constantly-updated anti-malware system.
Like all the Meraki firewalls, it's overseen and controlled by the Meraki Dashboard system. This simple GUI lets you move from a "god's eye view" of your network as a whole, then drill down to specific devices, apps, or even users. It's a remarkably intuitive
All in all, the MX250 is easily one of the most overall useful firewalls in the Meraki MX series. The 2,000-user maximum might limit its ability to support the largest of organizations, but for most medium-large businesses, it's going to be an excellent investment.
Want to learn more about Meraki? Just contact Hummingbird!
