topic Re: Combining networks in Cloud Networking Platform

Combining networks

Adrian41 — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 14:27:37 GMT

Hello,

Due to the meraki infrastructure being bought/setup in dribs and drabs, we have a situation where we have two separate networks for every site.

One network is just MR access points. ALL the wifi networks are bound to a single template (wireless type).

The other network contains MX security devices and switches. These sites do not currently use templates.

Id like to combine the networks but wasnt quite sure on the best order to do this.

First of all, if I want to keep using templates, I assume I will have to make a new combined one which I can do by making a new template from the MX sites and then combining it with the wireless template?

If I then move all the AP devices to the MX network, I gather some settings will be lost. But I could then apply the new template to quickly put those settings back right?
Or - what if I apply the new template to the MX network first, and then move the AP points - would the AP's pick up the full template settings right away and not need any further attention?

Does it matter if the old wireless template is still bound to the old AP network when I move the AP devices? Should I unbind the network before the move?

Thanks!

Re: Combining networks

Ryan_Miles — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 15:24:54 GMT

You can modify templates and networks from single product to combined following these steps. You don't have to create anything new or make any destructive changes.

https://documentation.meraki.com/General_Administration/Templates_and_Config_Sync/Managing_Multiple_Networks_with_Configuration_Templates#Modifying_a_single_product_Template_to_a_Combined_Template

Re: Combining networks

Adrian41 — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 16:32:21 GMT

The steps in that guide describe creating new combined templates and networks.

Are you saying I can just make a new network, and then move live and active MX units and switches to the new network without any problems or loss of config?

Re: Combining networks

Adrian41 — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 16:32:57 GMT

this implies that would be a bad idea

https://documentation.meraki.com/General_Administration/Organizations_and_Networks/Best_Practices_for_Merging_Networks_and_Organizations

its reading this that made me think it was prob best to just move the access points into the existing MX network - that way I wouldn't be disturbing them at all - only the AP's which would be less of a catastrophe in the event of an issue.

Re: Combining networks

Ryan_Miles — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 17:13:50 GMT

Today you have MR networks bound to a wireless template and MX+MS networks not template bound.

If you want to combine the MR and MX+MS networks you'll need to first bind the MX+MS network to the template. And, if the existing template is MR only today you'll need to first modify it to be a combined template. Those steps are outlined in the earlier post of mine.

Once the template is modified to be "combined" you could bind the MX+MS networks to it. Then you could next combine the MR and MX+MS networks. Of course, you'd need to have the MX and MS configs ported into the template otherwise you'd blank your configs out on binding.

Binding MXs to a template is invasive no matter how you approach it. At a minimum you may need to edit the subnets after binding MX to a template as it will auto generate subnets (assuming you're using unique addressing type in the MX VLAN configs).

So, to summarize to get from where you are to where you want to go you'd need to do this. Assuming you have something like Site-0001 MR network bound to template and Site-0001 MX+MS network (not template bound).

1. Modify the wireless only template to be a combined template via this process

2. Create MX and MS configs in this newly combined template

3. Bind the MX+MS networks to the template

4. Bind switches to switch profiles within the template

5. If needed, edit MX networks post binding to correct the VLAN subnets from the auto-generated values

6. Combine MX+MS networks with the MR networks

Re: Combining networks

Adrian41 — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 08:42:35 GMT

brilliant, thanks very much!