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Quality of Service (QoS) in Cisco Meraki's SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) enhances network performance by prioritizing traffic, ensuring critical applications receive the necessary bandwidth, and managing network congestion. Here’s a detailed overview of how QoS is implemented in Meraki SD-WAN:
Key Features of QoS in Meraki SD-WAN
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Application-Based Traffic Shaping:
- Meraki SD-WAN can identify and prioritize traffic based on Layer 7 application visibility. This allows you to set specific QoS rules for critical applications like VoIP, video conferencing, or ERP systems.
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Multiple WAN Links:
- Meraki SD-WAN can utilize multiple WAN connections (e.g., MPLS, broadband, LTE) and apply QoS policies across them, dynamically selecting the best path for different types of traffic.
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Dynamic Path Control:
- QoS in Meraki SD-WAN works with dynamic path control to ensure that real-time applications are sent over the most reliable and lowest-latency links, automatically adjusting as network conditions change.
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Traffic Shaping Policies:
- Administrators can define traffic shaping rules to limit the bandwidth available to less critical applications, ensuring that essential services have adequate resources.
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Bandwidth Reservations:
- You can reserve a minimum amount of bandwidth for specific applications or user groups, which is critical for maintaining performance during peak usage times.
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Client-Specific QoS:
- QoS policies can be applied at the client level, allowing for tailored bandwidth limits and prioritization based on the specific needs of users or devices.
Configuring QoS in Meraki SD-WAN
Here’s a step-by-step guide to configuring QoS settings in the Meraki Dashboard for an SD-WAN environment:
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Access the Dashboard:
- Log into the Meraki Dashboard and select the organization and network you want to configure.
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Navigate to SD-WAN Settings:
- Go to Security & SD-WAN > Configure > SD-WAN.
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Traffic Shaping:
- Click on Traffic shaping. Here, you can configure global traffic shaping rules and application-based policies.
- Define rules based on application categories or individual applications, setting priorities and bandwidth limits as necessary.
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Performance Metrics:
- Under Monitor > Appliance Status, review performance metrics to assess traffic flow and the effectiveness of QoS configurations.
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Dynamic Path Selection:
- Configure path selection based on latency, loss, and jitter. This ensures that critical applications are routed over the most reliable paths.
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Save and Apply:
- After making the necessary changes, save and apply the configuration. Monitor the network performance to verify that QoS settings are functioning correctly.
Monitoring and Reporting
- Traffic Analysis: Use the Meraki Dashboard to analyze traffic patterns and determine if QoS settings are meeting performance goals.
- Client Insights: Review client reports to understand bandwidth usage and adjust QoS policies as needed.
Posted : 05/10/2024 2:37 am