Meraki Unboxed: Recent Episodes
Cisco Meraki
Join @merakisimon and guests from both inside and outside Cisco Meraki for casual discussions covering the technology, people and culture that drive the business. We've made this podcast for you. Please share your feedback with us at community.meraki.com.
In this Meraki Unboxed podcast, Cisco and Meraki are converging to deliver unified networking solutions. The episode covers the transition between brands; the impact on customers and partners; and how a strong, collaborative culture drives continued success during change. Our guest, Cisco Networking Specialist Jeff Perlmutter, shares practical sales strategies, the roles AI and innovation play in the networking portfolio, and advice for building authentic relationships in a rapidly evolving technology landscape. Check out the episode now!
Host
Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Guest
Jeff Perlmutter, Cisco Networking Specialist, Cisco Meraki
Jeff Perlmutter is a tenured Cisco Meraki networking specialist with over a decade of experience helping enterprise customers across the Bay Area rethink how they approach networking. He brings a mix of technical expertise and practical insight to every conversation and is passionate about helping customers navigate change, simplify complexity, and get the most out of their technology investments.
In this Meraki Unboxed podcast, we’re getting schooled. Tune in to learn about the E-Rate program, a vital federal resource helping K-12 schools secure funding for internet connectivity. Join our host Sammy and guests Cedric Lockhart and Janell Tennyson as they discuss sales leadership strategies, Cisco’s competitive edge, the significance of the five-year funding cycle, and common misconceptions about E-Rate funding. Class is now in session!
Host
Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Guests
Cedric Lockhart, Senior Director, Cisco Networking Sales for Public Sector
Cedric Lockhart has a passion for connecting with people and developing winning teams. While serving as Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps, he learned that the best leaders focus on the people, set a positive tone, develop plans that overachieve the objectives, and think BIG! He has carried those same core beliefs into his sales leadership career.
Cedric currently leads the $3.5B Public Sector Networking Business. During his 15-year Cisco-career, Cedric has held a number of sales and sales leadership roles, including leading the Cisco Meraki Americas business, Enterprise and Service Provider business for Cisco AppDynamics, Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader for Enterprise, and other roles in corporate tech sales.
Janell Tennyson, Sales Business Development, E-Rate Lead
Janell Tennyson is E-Rate Lead for the Cisco Public Funding Team. Janell is an experienced grant writer with over 16 years working in the telecommunications industry. In her current role, she is responsible for overseeing the entire E-Rate process and educating the field, partners, and customers to better understand and effectively utilize and maintain compliance with E-Rate rules and regulations.
In this Meraki Unboxed episode, we discuss something that’s very near and dear to our host Tanner’s heart (and team)—the new Meraki vMX! This virtual security and SD-WAN powerhouse unifies on-premises and cloud networks, tackles modern security challenges, and streamlines management with automation and a unified dashboard. Tune in to hear Tanner and his team discuss the latest features, cloud integrations, and how vMX is reshaping distributed networking for hybrid and multicloud environments.
- https://meraki.cisco.com/product/hybrid-cloud/vmx/vmx-small/
- https://meraki.cisco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/vMX-datasheet-20230421-english.pdf
- https://meraki.cisco.com/form/trial/
Host
Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki
Guests
Simarbir Singh, Product Manager, vMX, Cisco Meraki
John Shea, Technical Solutions Architect, Enterprise Networking, Cisco
Recap the highlights of Cisco Live 2025 San Diego in this episode of Meraki Unboxed. From exciting product announcements to the growing impact of AI on the Cisco portfolio, we explore how innovation and customer focus took center stage.
Tune in for insights into the event’s dynamic culture, networking opportunities, and what’s next for Cisco and its partners.
Host
Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Guests
Rachel Greene, Inside Sales Director, Cisco Meraki
Mike Yin is the Global Solution Engineering Director of Secure Network at Cisco. He is an experienced and successful technical sales leader with a proven track record in both startups and established companies.
Having joined Meraki in 2012, Mike held sales engineering leadership positions in the biggest growth markets and propelled the business to over 60x revenue growth. Then, as the global SE leader, Mike helped establish Meraki as the primary platform for Cisco Networking and transformed the industry through cloud and simplicity.
Mike is passionate about building a team culture that thrives on a sense of purpose in helping customers achieve their own mission. The team paved the way for many best practices such as demo mastery, API and ecosystem, and MEDDPICC adoption. This has not only resulted in astronomical revenue growth, but also a sustained world-class renewal rate.
Catch up from Cisco Live:: https://cisco.com/
Announced at Cisco Live: https://www.cisco.com/?socialshare=video-livestream
Powering the future of secure AI infrastructure: https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/a/y2025/m06/cisco-powers-secure-infrastructure-for-the-ai-era.html
Unveiling secure network architecture to accelerate workplace AI transformation: https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/a/y2025/m06/cisco-unveils-secure-network-architecture-to-accelerate-workplace-ai-transformation.html
Transforming security for agentic AI era, further fusing security into the network: https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/a/y2025/m06/cisco-transforms-security-for-the-agentic-ai-era-further-fusing-security-into-the-network.html
Powering AI-ready data centers, from hyperscale to enterprise: https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/a/y2025/m06/cisco-powers-ai-ready-data-centers-from-hyperscale-to-enterprise.html
Cisco 8000 Secure Routers: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/products/networking/sdwan-routers/cisco-8000-secure-routers/index.html
Cisco C9350 Series Smart Switches: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/products/networking/switches/c9350-series-smart-switches/index.html
Cisco C9610 Series Smart Switches: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/products/networking/switches/c9610-series-smart-switches/index.html
Blogs:
Cisco New Family of Cisco Smart Switches
From AgenticOps to Assurance
Meet the Cisco Deep Network Model
Redefining Branch Networking
Wi-Fi for the AI Enterprise
Expanding the Edge of Possibility
In this Humans of Meraki episode, Helen Fream takes us on her dynamic Cisco journey—from designing the popular Meraki e-learning program to championing mentorship and leading Women of Meraki. With humor and heart, Helen shares how she’s created opportunities, mastered public speaking, and pursued her love of sustainable fashion. You won’t want to miss this uplifting conversation, full of insights on inclusion and growth and making bold moves in the workplace!
Embark on the Meraki FIT journey
https://community.meraki.com/t5/Meraki-FIT/ct-p/merakifit
Host
Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Guest
Helen Fream, Instructional Designer – Join & Connect Enablement
Hfream@cisco.com
Helen is a Learning & Development professional with a strong background in instructional design, program management, and digital learning solutions. Throughout her career at Cisco, she has built global onboarding initiatives and created impactful learning experiences for diverse audiences. Known for her creativity, organization, and cross-functional collaboration, she is also a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, having led the ERO Women of Meraki, as a sustainable fashion enthusiast, and as a dedicated Toastmaster!
We’re back with another Meraki Unboxed episode where we unpack Cisco Meraki MV solutions and their role in blending physical security with IT networks. We’ll chat about how cloud-managed security and AI are making workspaces safe and introduce you to the new MV53X bullet and MV84X multi-imager cameras. Plus, find out how our new Cross-Camera Tracking feature is revolutionizing surveillance without using facial recognition. And sprinkled throughout the discussion are deployment strategies, industry use cases, and the scoop on upcoming physical security events. Listen now!
Products
MV53X PDP
MV84X Datasheet (coming April 2025)
Other Activations
Build Physical Security Superpowers with Smart Bullet Cameras and Multi-Imagers Blog
Meraki MV ISC West Invitation
Upcoming April 10 Webinar
Host
Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki
Guests
Shashank Nalla is Product Manager of the Cisco Meraki smart camera portfolio, where he drives the development of cloud-managed AI-enabled smart camera solutions. With expertise in product strategy, hardware development, and cross-functional collaboration, he delivers innovative products that streamline modern physical security solutions. Prior to Meraki, Shashank worked at Osram, where he contributed to the development of advanced lighting and sensor products. His experience spans multiple industries, equipping him with a deep understanding of technology and customer needs to deliver impactful solutions.
George Bentinck is Vice President of Product Management – IoT and Edge Intelligence at Cisco Meraki. He leads the strategic direction and growth of AI-enabled products, including MV smart cameras and MT smart sensors. Since joining Cisco through the 2012 Meraki acquisition, George has been instrumental in developing new product categories and expanding into new markets.
With a background in sales engineering at Avaya and Nortel, George holds a Bachelor's degree in internet engineering from the University of Exeter. He lives in San Francisco and enjoys designing sensor systems for optimizing race car performance in his spare time.
In this episode of Humans of Meraki, Rishi Korada, a Senior Solutions Engineering Manager at Cisco, shares her career journey from the Cisco Sales Associate Program to becoming a Meraki Sales Engineer. She shares insights on overcoming gender bias in a male-dominated field, the critical role of emotional intelligence in sales engineering, and the transformative role feedback plays in personal development. Rishi also highlights how a strong team culture and mentorship have propelled her career, encouraging listeners to trust their instincts, pursue opportunities, and build connections to achieve their professional goals.
Learn about the Cisco Sales Associate Program (CSAP): https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/careers/communities/students-and-new-graduates/sales-associates.html
Host
Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Guest
Rishi Korada is a seasoned professional with over 13 years of experience in the computer networking industry. She currently serves as a Senior Solutions Engineering Manager for specialist network engineers supporting the Commercial West area at Cisco, having held roles as a solutions engineer and SE manager. Throughout her career, Rishi has supported a diverse range of sectors, including global service provider, global enterprise, and commercial segments, while specializing in verticals such as sports/media, healthcare, retail/hospitality, and fintech. A passionate advocate for building high-performance teams, Rishi thrives on continuous learning and problem-solving. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, discovering new cuisines, playing basketball, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.
Tune in to this Meraki Unboxed episode as we flip the script on cloud-managed switching. Discover the impact of the new Cisco Meraki MS150 access switch and its role in the Cisco portfolio—enabling exciting use cases with scalability and security. We’ll also discuss the latest developments in cloud-native IOS XE, the evolving capabilities of Catalyst 9000 Series Switches, and other trends and announcements on the horizon.
- Meraki MS150: https://meraki.cisco.com/product/switches/access-switches/ms150/
- Cloud-Native IOS XE Documentation: https://documentation.meraki.com/MS/Cloud-Native_IOS_XE/Cloud-Native_IOS_XE_Overview
- Switching Community: https://community.meraki.com/t5/Switching/bd-p/switching
Host
Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki
Guests
Nico Darrow, Senior Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki
Korey Rebello, Leader of Product Management, Cisco
In our first podcast of 2025, we welcome George Bentinck, Vice President of Product Management – IoT and Edge Intelligence at Cisco Meraki. Join us in exploring George’s journey from engineer to product management, his career challenges and triumphs, and his leadership of the MV/MT product lines. Gain insights into the evolution of these technologies and get a sneak peek into what’s to come at Cisco Live EMEA.
Host
Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Guest
George Bentinck is Vice President of Product Management – IoT and Edge Intelligence at Cisco Meraki. He leads the strategic direction and growth of AI-enabled products, including MV smart cameras and MT smart sensors. Since joining Cisco through the 2012 Meraki acquisition, George has been instrumental in developing new product categories and expanding into new markets.
With a background in sales engineering at Avaya and Nortel, George holds a Bachelor's degree in Internet Engineering from the University of Exeter. He lives in San Francisco and enjoys designing sensor systems for optimizing race car performance in his spare time.
Meraki Physical Security Solutions page
Smart Cameras Product page
The holiday season offers a wonderful opportunity for reflection, gratitude, and community giving. In this episode, we discover how Merakians are embodying these values through initiatives like Meraki Gives and the annual Movember fundraising event.
Host
Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Guests
Racha Tfaili, Strategic Sales Manager, Service Provider, Cisco
Lorenzo Garcia-Garth, Solutions Engineering Leader, Cisco
Donations through Racha's Movember Page:
https://us.movember.com/donate/details?memberId=15342078#amount
For Information about the Movember Foundation and its mission: https://us.movember.com/?home
In this special launch episode of the Meraki Unboxed podcast, we explore the new Cisco Wi-Fi 7 access points and how they redefine connectivity for modern workspaces. Discover how AI-enhanced technology boosts IoT connectivity and strengthens security and resilience. Tune in for insights into the future of network connectivity.
Host
Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki
Guest
Ameya Ahir, Product Manager, Cisco Meraki Wireless
- Read the announcement: https://investor.cisco.com/news/news-details/2024/Cisco-Introduces-Intelligent-Secure-and-Assured-Wi-Fi-7-to-Transform-Employee-and-Customer-Experiences/default.aspx
- Watch Wi-Fi 7 LinkedIn Live with Jeetu Patel and Lawrence Huang: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7259283263284797442/comments/
- Read the blog from Lawrence Huang: https://blogs.cisco.com/news/introducing-zero-friction-wireless-for-smarter-workplaces?dtid=osolie001456&utm_loc=au,glb&utm_lang=en
- Explore our new Wi-Fi 7 solutions and see how they can transform your workplace: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/products/networking/wireless/index.html
- Cisco Wireless 9176 Series Access Points Data Sheet: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/catalyst-9100ax-access-points/wireless-9176-series-acc-point-ds.html?dtid=osscdc000283
- Cisco Wireless 9178 Series Access Points Data Sheet: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/catalyst-9100ax-access-points/wireless-9178-series-access-point-ds.html?dtid=osscdc000283
It’s almost October, which is Cybersecurity Awareness Month! In this special Cybersecurity Awareness Month
It’s back-to-school season. In this Meraki Unboxed podcast episode, we chat with Christopher Kozlov, Director of Information Technology at Lake Forest Academy. Tune in to hear how Cisco Meraki technology is transforming the technology on this college prep campus.
Host
Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Guest
Christopher Kozlov, Director of Information Technology, Lake Forest Academy
Try the Meraki dashboard now:
https://meraki.cisco.com/form/instant-demo/
In this episode of Meraki Unboxed, we explore the role of Cisco Enterprise Agreements in driving growth. We also delve into the evolution and expansion of Cisco Secure Connect and our guest shares valuable leadership strategies, customer feedback, and future plans for success.
Host
Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Guest
Cliff Petersen, Sales Director, Software Acceleration and Secure Connect, Cisco Meraki
Learn more about Cisco Enterprise Agreement and Cisco Secure Connect:
- https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/buy/enterprise-agreement/index.html
- https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/plus-as-a-service/secure-connect.html
Tune in to this Meraki Unboxed podcast and explore the power of the new Meraki MG52 and MG52E cellular gateways.
Learn how these devices, managed through the Cisco Networking Cloud, are revolutionizing branch connectivity for businesses. Experience always-on, 5G-connected experiences, connecting more people and places without compromising scale and performance.
Host
Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki
Guests
Pratik Desai, Product Marketing Manager, Cisco
Unni Ambat Rajagopalan, Technical Marketing Engineering, Cisco Meraki
See how businesses can scale faster and deliver richer customer experiences: https://meraki.cisco.com/products/wireless-wan/
Tune in to this episode and step into the fast-paced world of Esports with this Meraki Unboxed episode.
Hear from a Cisco Esports authority and a Meraki employee, alongside her Esports scholarship-winning son. Tune in to discover how the Meraki platform elevates gaming with revolutionary analytics and infrastructure—and see how the explosion of collegiate Esports is changing the industry.
Host
Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Guests
Neal Tilley, Sales Business Development Manager, Cisco
Melisa Alvarez-Gaytan, Virtual Sales Specialist, Cisco Meraki
Learn more, visit https://meraki.cisco.com/
In this episode, we welcome Aleta Howell, Global Director, DEI Business & Recruiting Strategy at Cisco. Join us as we delve into Cisco’s collaboration with OneTen, a company that is disrupting traditional hiring practices to unlock career opportunities for diverse talent across the U.S.
Discover Cisco’s success with the program, strategies for inclusive hiring and integration, and ways to engage with the mission.
Host
Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Guest
Aleta Howell, Global Director, DEI Business & Recruiting Strategy, Cisco
Learn more about the OneTen program: https://oneten.org/
In this episode, we’re discussing the new Cisco Catalyst 9300-M switches. We’re joined by Kevin Regan, Director of Product Management, Cloud Networking and Security, at Cisco Meraki.
Join us and discover how new Catalyst features are empowering secure, sustainable, and high-performance connectivity.
Learn more about how Cisco Catalyst 9300-M switches deliver a flexible and secure end-to-end network at scale while managing it with ease and confidence:
- Read the blog: https://meraki.cisco.com/blog/2024/02/is-your-network-infrastructure-ready-for-more-iot-devices/
- Cisco Catalyst 9300-M datasheet: https://documentation.meraki.com/MS/MS_Overview_and_Specifications/Catalyst_9300-M_datasheet?_gl=110irezq_gaMTQxMDg0MTIyNC4xNzA0NzI3NTEx_ga_KP8QEFW4ML*MTcwOTIyNDc2NC4zOC4xLjE3MDkyMjQ4MzIuNTIuMC4w
Host
Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Meraki Product Management, Cisco
Guest
Kevin Regan, Director of Product Management, Cloud Networking and Security, Cisco Meraki
In this episode, we sit down with Brink Sanders, Vice President of Global Networking Experience Sales at Cisco and Jen Kirkpatrick, Vice President of Global Sales at Cisco Meraki, to dive into the world of networking.
Listen in as we learn all about Cisco Networking Experiences (NX). We discuss what NX is, how it merges the power of Cisco and Cisco Meraki, and our strategy to implement significant networking transformation. Our leaders also shed light on the challenges they’ve encountered along the way and learnings from change.
Learn more about our Networking Experiences platform, product and services, capabilities at:
- Networking resources page: https://go2.cisco.com/NX_resources
- Cisco Networking Insider webinars: https://go2.cisco.com/NX_webinars+demos
On this episode, we’re joined by Ivan Muccini, Vice President of Product at Cloud4Wi, a Meraki Marketplace ecosystem partner.
Tune in as we delve into Cloud4wi’s impact on the retail industry, the transformative power of data, and exciting developments on the horizon.
Request a demo today
Host
Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Meraki Product Management, Cisco
Guest
Ivan Muccini, Vice President of Product, Cloud4Wi
Want to advance your IT career? Look no further than the Meraki Learning Hub, where you can access courses and certifications to help you get the most out of your Meraki products and services while boosting your IT cred. Take a listen and hear from Philip Coburn, Senior Technical Trainer at Cisco Meraki, as he takes us through recent exciting updates to the Meraki Learning Hub.
Host
Tanner Yehlik—Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki
Guest
Philip Coburn—Senior Technical Trainer, Cisco Meraki
Learn More
cs.co/learn
learning.meraki.net
In this episode, we dive into the exciting world of automation with the new Ansible collection for the Meraki dashboard API. Developed in collaboration with open source leader Red Hat, this automation platform opens up a world of possibilities for network admins and those interested in automation.
We are joined by experts from Red Hat and Cisco Meraki to discuss the benefits of Ansible, the partnership between the two companies, and the use cases and future plans for this powerful tool. Tune in to learn more about this game-changing collaboration and the future of automation in the Meraki ecosystem.
Host
Tanner Yehlik—Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki
Guests
Dafné Mendoza—Principal Product Manager, Network Automation, Red Hat
Oren Brigg—Product Manager, Developer Platform and Ecosystem, Cisco Meraki
Learn more
DevNet Learning Lab - Using Ansible with Cisco Meraki
Meraki Marketplace - Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform
November is Veterans month. To celebrate, we’re talking with Anna Chow, Senior Technical Recruiter here at Cisco Meraki and leader of the Meraki Veterans employee resource organization (ERO). Anna spent 12 years in the Navy as a recruiter and human resources specialist before coming to Meraki. In addition to her day job, Anna loves to find opportunities to volunteer in her local community.
Listen in to learn more about Anna and hear about her career journey at Meraki.
Host: Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Guest: Anna Chow, Senior Technical Recruiter, Cisco Meraki
Curious about the Meraki experience? Explore working at Meraki by visiting our careers page. Dive deeper into our employee stories on the Meraki Medium Blog.
In this episode, we talk with Bernie Mehl, CEO of Meraki Marketplace partner Kisi, a cloud-based access control company. An expert in managing space growth using innovative and scalable technologies, Bernie has helped hundreds of organizations understand the operational, financial, and cultural impact that security and technology can have within facilities and IT management departments.
Request a demo today.
Host
Tanner Yehlik—Technical Marketing Engineer, Meraki Product Management, Cisco
Guest
Bernie Mehl – CEO and Co-Founder, Kisi
Ricardo Duque is a technical solutions architect with over 18 years of experience in pre-sales with a focus on design, planning, implementation, configuration, technical support, and consulting for IT and networking devices.
Listen in to learn more about his unique and inspirational journey into IT, hear about the ways he gives back, gain insights into his current role, and learn how he embodies Cisco Meraki values.
Learn more about Ricardo
Host
Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Guest
Ricardo Duque, Technical Solutions Architect, Cisco Meraki
In this episode, we discuss networking in harsh environments with guest Brock Richards, Senior Solution Architect at Nutrien—the world’s largest provider of crop inputs, services, and solutions—and Meraki Technical Marketing Engineer Leader Brennan Martin.
Listen as they share the unique networking solutions they built for temperature-challenged environments and their future plans for the new MS130 and MS130R switches.
Read the announcement
Host
Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Meraki Product Management, Cisco
Guests
Brennan Martin, Technical Marketing Engineer Leader, Meraki MS, Cisco
Brock Richards, Senior Solution Architect, Nutrien
Our API has evolved significantly since embracing Swagger, now OpenAPI v2. This integration has greatly streamlined our API development process, ensuring a smooth experience for developers. Now, we're advancing even further with OpenAPI v3, emphasizing our commitment to a high-quality API contract and empowering developers with the most up-to-date tools and technologies.
Tune in to this episode to learn more about:
- The OpenAPI v3 update
- New use cases
- Reporting features
Learn more about Meraki APIs
Join the Meraki Community
Host
Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Meraki Product Management, Cisco
Guest
Cory Guynn, Product Management Architect, Meraki Cloud, Cisco
With the Meraki mobile app, you get everything you need for IT and network operations wherever you are. You can quickly access devices, identify problems, and easily navigate between networks and organizations.
Tune in to learn more about the mobile app and hear which features exist today, which ones are coming soon, and more.
Download the Meraki mobile app on the App Store
Download the Meraki mobile app on Google Play
Join the Meraki mobile app community
Host
Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Meraki Product Management, Cisco
Guest
Cameron Moody, Engineering Product Manager, Cisco Meraki
Francisco “Panch” Ramirez is a Cisco Meraki leader with over 20 years of experience in sales engineering.
Tune in to this episode to gain insights into his unique career journey. Discover lessons that have shaped his distinctive leadership style, unlock strategies for building and managing an effective team, and learn ways to navigate through organizational changes.
Host
Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Guest
Francisco Ramirez, Director, Systems Engineering, Cisco Meraki
Wireless access takes business networking by storm. Meraki cloud-managed 5G wireless WAN offers businesses numerous advantages in campus, data center, and branch networking.
In this episode, learn how businesses can take full advantage of 5G in their branch networks using the Cisco Meraki MG51 and MG51E. Listen in as we discuss how the Meraki platform can help businesses simplify the management of their branch networks with unparalleled scale, administration, and visibility from a single dashboard to configure, manage, and troubleshoot their networks.
Resources
- Hear more about creating connected experiences everywhere
- Hear more about the rise in wireless WAN among businesses
- Evaluate local wireless WAN using the FCC National Broadband Map
Hosts
Amilee San Juan, Product Marketing Manager, Cisco
Guests
Chris Burgess, BT Group, Principal Solutions Consultant
Divya Pillai, Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki
Paul Campbell, CEO & Founder, Quaversal
Pratik Desai, Product Marketing Manager, Cisco Meraki
In this episode, we sit down with Tim Ormrod, Founder of Splash Access, and Shannon Nagel, Cisco Meraki Sales Leader, to discuss the benefits of using Splash Access to authenticate secure internet access and explore their recent wins in higher education.
Splash Access allows you to automatically provision a custom splash page solution that instantly integrates into the Meraki cloud. Splash Access authorizes users onto the Meraki network, collects customer data, and integrates into APIs from major marketing tools.
Learn more
Host
Sammy Brenner, Cisco, Virtual Sales Leader, Meraki
Guests
Shannon Nagel, Regional Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki
Tim Ormrod, Managing Director, OrmIT Solutions Ltd.
With cybersecurity threats lurking in every part of the digital landscape, connecting users to what they need securely and seamlessly is vital to supporting an efficient, productive, and happy workforce. Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) offers IT a smart solution. Unified SASE takes simplicity to the next level by converging networking and security to deliver a streamlined experience for both IT and end users.
Tune in to learn about Cisco+ Secure Connect, Cisco’s turnkey unified SASE solution.
Learn more
Host
Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Meraki Product Management, Cisco
Guest
Omri Guelfand, Vice President, Product Management, Cisco
Pride month is an opportunity to celebrate our differences, find connection in our humanity, and elevate our LGBTQIA+ community.
In this episode, we hear from members of the Queers and Friends at Meraki (QFAM) employee resource organization (ERO). Learn about their unique experiences navigating careers in tech, what Pride means to them, and how to become a more effective ally through inclusive work environments.
Join the team
Effective port management is crucial for optimal and secure network operations, but it can be complex and difficult to scale across sites. Does port management have to be a headache? Absolutely not.
In this episode, Cisco Champions and Meraki switching experts will dive into best practices for managing switch ports at scale. We’ll explore the potential business outcomes that can be achieved by leveraging Meraki switching capabilities, such as zero-touch provisioning, port profiles*, and scalable management through integrations, templates, and APIs—all of which are delivered through a user-friendly approach.
*Port profiles will be available on the Meraki dashboard in early summer.
Blog
Product page
Cisco Champion Hosts
Deirra Footman, Network Engineer, Network to Cloud
Pat Allen, Senior Network Engineer, Customers Bank
Paul Campbell, CEO and Founder, Quaversal
Guests
Tony Carmichael, Director, Product Management, Cisco Meraki
Digvijay Bora, Senior Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki
Moderator
Amilee San Juan, Cisco Champion Program, Cisco
Cisco’s workforce is a diverse group of talented folks whose roles drive real impact across communities.
Tune in to this episode to learn more about Nadine James, a global social impact leader with over 15 years of experience designing, launching, and scaling innovative community programs. We learn about Nadine’s rich history—including what fuels her passion for social justice and her journey into tech. We gain a glimpse into her day-to-day life, learn more about “compassionate capitalism,” and discuss how this economic system can elevate the human experience.
Host
Sammy Brenner, Cisco, Virtual Sales Leader, Meraki
Guest
Nadine James, Cisco, Head of Global Social Impact & Community Engagement, AppDynamics
Our ability to give customers the power to monitor, manage, and secure their networks in a quick and easy manner is key to a successful managed services strategy at Cisco Meraki.
Listen in as Alexandra Zagury, Vice President, Partner Managed and As-a-Service, Global Partner Sales, discusses how Cisco is disrupting and building a managed services practice that empowers partners to increase operational efficiency and profitability while delivering positive business outcomes for customers.
Learn more about Cisco Partner Managed Services
Host
Sammy Brenner, Cisco, Virtual Sales Leader, Meraki
Guest
Alexandra Zagury, Cisco, Vice President, Partner Managed and As-a-Service, Global Partner Sales
Join our discussion about Meraki APIs and the Meraki solution application marketplace. Learn how these tools can help bring your products to customers and move the needle toward achieving successful business outcomes. We will introduce the breadth of APIs and the Meraki Marketplace, share practical examples and use cases, and show how to become a Marketplace ecosystem partner.
Learn more
Join the Meraki Marketplace
Take APIs for a spin
Learn more about the ecosystem partner onboarding journey
Host
Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Meraki Product Management, Cisco
Guests
Shayna Boudrea, Business Development Manager, Meraki Ecosystem, Cisco
Vasundhra Dewangan, Product Manager, Meraki APIs, Cisco
Tune in to this episode to hear from Morgan Teachworth, a founding member of the Meraki engineering team and current SVP of Hardware Engineering at Cisco. He is responsible for leading hardware and supply chain for the Cisco wireless and Meraki portfolio.
Learn about his amazing journey, what led to his career in hardware engineering, his unique experiences as a founding Meraki engineer and the lessons he learned along the way. You’ll also gain insights into the future of Meraki’s hardware portfolio and what inspires him when he’s not thinking about networking technology.
Learn more
Executive biography
Product page
Host
Sammy Brenner, Cisco Meraki, Virtual Sales Leader
Guest
Morgan Teachworth, Cisco, SVP, Hardware Engineering and Meraki Founding Engineer
In this episode, we celebrate where we’ve been, where we are today, and where we’re going–as a podcast series and as an organization. You’ll hear from key Meraki employees—covering talent acquisition, sales, and technical support—and gain insights into their unique experiences and perspectives on the future of Meraki.
Learn more
https://meraki.cisco.com/careers/
Hosts
Sammy Brenner, Cisco Meraki, Virtual Sales Leader
Tanner Yehlik, Cisco Meraki, Technical Marketing Engineer
Guests
Julia Roquemore, Cisco Meraki, Talent Acquisition Leader
Melisa Alvarez, Cisco Meraki, Virtual Sales Specialist
Tyler Wozniak, Cisco Meraki, Network Support Engineer
Today’s episode is delivered to you in collaboration with the Cisco Champion Radio podcast—a series that brings together Cisco Champions and our best Cisco experts to talk about technology.
Tune in to hear more about the first-ever 5G cellular gateway from Cisco Meraki and discover how Meraki cloud-managed 5G helps organizations scale faster, build stronger, and execute flexibly, across a variety of industries.
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MG51 and MG51E in the press
Ways to use MG51 and MG51E with 5G FWA
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Cisco Speakers
Pratik Desai (Connect on LinkedIn) Cisco, Product Marketing Manager, Meraki Marketing
Unni Ambat Rajagopalan (Connect on LinkedIn), Cisco, Technical Marketing Engineer, Meraki MXIG
Shankarnarayan Dharmarajan (Connect on LinkedIn), Cisco, Engineering, Product Manager, Meraki MXIG
Cisco Champions
Dan Kelcher (Connect on Twitter), IP Fabric, Solutions Architect
Jian Zou, PKA Technologies, Principal Network Architect
Marc Luescher (Connect on Twitter), Amazon Web Services, Sr. Solutions Architect
Moderator
Danielle Carter, Cisco, Marketing Specialist, Cisco Champion Program
In this episode, we chat with Erin Myers, Director of Sales Operations at Cisco Meraki. She’s been with Meraki since 2015, and played a crucial role in helping grow the business from $500 million to almost $5 billion in annual revenue. Erin talks about her journey to leadership, overcoming imposter syndrome, and tips for approaching difficult conversations. Tune in and listen today!
Today on the podcast we’re chatting with the 2022 Cisco Meraki Hackathon winners to learn about the solution they created. You’ll meet Simon Blondieau, Jean-Philippe Cabay, and Pascal Mathis who all work on the same team for Meraki channel partner NTT. The winners will open up about their experience creating the solution using Meraki technology. Tune in and listen—you don’t want to miss this one!
The Forest of Dean Trust, an education provider in the UK, and their preferred reseller, Redway Networks, recently decided to upgrade to Meraki. We discuss their journey to overhaul an outdated network and how that resulted in reduced IT notifications and better security, blocking more than 150 online threats in just the first two weeks of installation. Tune in today to hear the Meraki Magic come to life through this amazing story.
Today we’re chatting with Tanner Yehlik, Network Support Engineer (NSE) at Meraki. He walks us through a day in the life of an NSE, discussing his unique approach to problem solving. Tanner opens up about how he remains cool, calm, and collected in the midst of high -stress situations, even sharing tips around how to approach troubleshooting before even needing to pick up the phone.
The Blackhat event series began in 1997, and is widely known in the cybersecurity world. In 2022, Meraki powered the networks that underpin the events, and it’s no soft option, as you’ll hear in this episode. We reflect on the experiences, lessons learned, and unique challenges these events present. Read the blog.
Cellular technologies have transformed the way we connect with one another, first with consumer devices, and now with powering full-on networks. We’re in conversation with Pratik Desai from Meraki Product Marketing, who helps provide a perspective on what we can do with cellular technologies and the opportunities that are opening up.
Today we're sitting down with Archit Sachdeva, an incredible employee who's a part of Meraki's apprenticeship program. Learn a bit more about what the program entails by listening to Archit's unique story. He shares how he's been able to step outside the box, storytell on a daily basis to our customers, and grow his young career by helping create meaningful projects as a part of this program.
In another bonus episode, we celebrate a Meraki milestone by tracking down Lawrence Huang, recently named SVP/GM of Cisco Networking, Meraki, and Wireless. Lawrence returns to the podcast to share a story of growth, and more importantly, of solving more and more of our customers’ problems. We’d love you to join us as we continue to grow. Head over to meraki.cisco.com/careers to see where you might fit.
A very positive trend in IT has been the democratization of enterprise-class features across organizations of every size. New and emerging small businesses are the growth engines of our economies, and have a lot to teach larger organizations about efficiency and speed. In this episode we’re discussing the fascinating dynamic between small and large businesses, and how technology underpins them all.
Learn how Meraki powers Ottawa’s multiple campuses and championship esports program. Guest host Kaelie Lund, Global Customer Stories Manager for Cisco Meraki, speaks with Adam Caylor, Chief Technical Officer at Ottawa University. Explore the "entrepreneurial side of IT" and learn how launching an esports program can benefit students and universities alike.
It’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, so it’s the perfect opportunity to talk about security fundamentals. We’re in discussion with two highly experienced Cisco security professionals who share some of their wisdom and best practices. Learn more from one of our guests in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9pkOr--wrg
We’re welcoming a return guest to the podcast: Alicia Lorenzetti, who leads the Global Ecosystem and Marketplace team here at Cisco Meraki. You'll soon understand her passion for change and innovation, and how the power of our ecosystem partners and the Meraki Marketplace solves problems for our customers.
Two monumental shifts – the move to the cloud, and the new reality of the hybrid workforce – have combined to pose an administrative challenge for IT and security. Cisco to the rescue, with a heavy sprinkling of Meraki secret sauce on top. Learn more at: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/plus-as-a-service/secure-connect.html
The challenge of raw Wi-Fi performance was solved long ago, yet high-density environments still create problems for network administrators and users. Fortunately, Cisco Meraki is on a relentless mission to identify and solve real-world challenges, as you’ll discover in this episode.
If you ask anyone why they love working at Cisco Meraki, they'll say ”the people!” In this episode, we sit down with one of those incredible Merakians. We learn about her career journey and how she balances motherhood and her enthusiasm for our employee resource group, Meraki Gives. She truly has the biggest heart, and you can hear the passion in her voice when she talks about giving back. You don't want to miss this one!
The Meraki dashboard web GUI has been right at the heart of the cloud networking revolution, simplifying the lives of IT administrators the world over. Like everything else, progress demands evolution. In this episode we discuss the next generation of the dashboard— smarter, more helpful, and ready for what comes next.
The Meraki dashboard has proven hugely popular with network administrators the world over, so it was inevitable it would evolve to support more and more Cisco technology. In this episode, we unpack recent announcements that herald an exciting new journey of expansion for the platform.
Change can be tough, but it doesn't have to be as hard as we sometimes make it. Today we sit down with Hope Galley, a 20+ year Cisco veteran who leads the Cisco Meraki Global Channel Organization. Hope shares her career journey, opens up about overcoming hurdles and learning lessons, and discusses the importance of building/creating diverse teams. She'll tell you her superpower is leading large scale transformation, and provides tips and tricks on why she's been successful.
We’re living in a time where artificial intelligence is starting to play a truly valuable role in solving problems and increasing efficiency. Meraki smart cameras can be so much more than security devices, and in this episode we learn how computer vision’s limits are only bound by our imagination.
From token ring to the cloud, Jeff Bright of Bright Systems has done it all. As a Meraki partner and Cisco Premier Integrator Partner, Jeff brings a wealth of experience and use cases to our discussion, and demonstrates how a passion for solving customer challenges has fuelled him for over 30 years.
Cisco Meraki's service provider footprint has exploded, and in this episode, we're digging into the recipe for success with Annie Shain, Director of Global Service Provider Sales. Annie brings a wealth of knowledge thanks to a 22-year career at Cisco, spending time in various leadership roles in the global service provider specialist organization, as well as employee resource groups.
Technologies like VPNs and SD-WAN have enabled the ubiquitous internet to serve as the new corporate network, largely displacing expensive private circuits. Maintaining a reliable experience means having the best possible insight into how every step from device to cloud is performing. New analytics capabilities are here to help.
Continuing our hybrid work series, we unpack some of the findings from our recent IDG survey on how others are experiencing this new working environment we find ourselves in. We’re joined by two senior leaders from Cisco Meraki to reflect on the findings, and we discuss our own experiences as employees navigate more choices.
Learn more in our whitepaper: https://meraki.cisco.com/experiences/hybrid-workforce/
Hybrid working, with a mix of remote and on-site employees, is now commonplace. How do we create work experiences that connect teams and maximize productivity in this new environment? We’re in discussion with Meraki technology partner Kloudspot, a company that is tackling this challenge head-on.
Learn more at kloudspot.com
Just as the devices we use for work and play keep getting more powerful, so too must the networks that connect them. Wi-Fi 6E is an extension to the Wi-Fi 6 standard that unlocks greater bandwidth and less congestion. Sunmeel Bhumkar from Meraki Product Management joins us to explain.
A 2020 study by the AnitaB.org Institute found that women make up 28.8% of the tech workforce in the US. At the current pace, it could take more than ten years for women to gain equal representation in the tech industry. Meet the women of Cisco Meraki and Visionworks of America who are challenging that projection.
Returning to the topic of sustainability, we focus on how to build a more sustainable data center with the help of Meraki technology. We discuss simple best practices that anyone can implement, to help save both power consumption and money.
Join us as we welcome Todd Nightingale, EVP/GM of Cisco’s Enterprise Networking & Cloud business. Todd shares his deep passion for networking and reflects on the growth and future of the Meraki business within Cisco. You don't want to miss this candid conversation with an amazing leader – be sure to tune in!
In the spirit of love, and Valentine's Day, we wanted to drop a little minisode to highlight a love story out of Cisco Meraki. Dominique & Alex Oryol, who have been at Meraki for over a decade, reside in the North Bay with their adorable baby boy Sammy. Let’s dive in and hear their story!
Learn how certification courses can empower you and your team with the knowledge and skills they'll need to pass the certification exam, ensuring your business gets the best return on its technology investments. We talk to Arun from the Meraki Product Enablement team, and discover his passion for training. To learn more about the course mentioned in the episode, visit: https://community.meraki.com/t5/Meraki-Certification/ct-p/cmss
Cloud management is all about solving problems at scale. In this episode we’re in conversation with a major Meraki customer that has taken full advantage of the Meraki Platform to manage vast numbers of devices across multiple customers and locations. We also discuss how the technology has supported an evolution of business processes in our changed world.
Happy New Year! We're kicking off this January with our VP of Sales in the Americas, Jen Kirkpatrick. She has 20+ years of leadership experience within the tech industry and doesn't hold back when it comes to sharing valuable insights when it comes to what she's learned throughout her career. Jen identifies as a “go to” problem solver, and during this candid conversation she provides helpful tips on how to work successfully cross-functionally and throughout different business units. You don't want to miss this real conversation with an incredibly impactful leader!
In this final episode of 2021, we’re joined by members of the Meraki Community for a look back at the year that was, and the year ahead. The projects, the wins, the challenges: 2021 has had it all. Thank you for listening to our podcast in ‘21, and we’ll be back for more in the new year!
Join us for a conversation with Julia Roquemore, a Senior Global Talent Acquisition Leader at Meraki. We dive deep into understanding the priorities of the recuriting team, getting a glimpse of the candidate journey, and learn tips on how stand out in this competitive talent market. Julia touches on what it takes to build a diverse candidate pool, and even breaks down myths about salary negotiation during the interview process!
An evolving hybrid workforce demands embracing change. Providing an in-office experience, regardless of location, is more important and accessible than ever, and in this episode we discuss how to think about technically enabling your workforce with our own Jordan Noonan and Meraki Ecosystem partner, Kisi. Learn more at https://www.getkisi.com/integrations/cisco-meraki
Troubleshooting networks efficiently means saving time and money. The tools that assist us are getting more and more sophisticated, and in this episode we talk about the latest enhancement to Meraki network troubleshooting, Root Cause Analysis, with our newest Product Manager, Nikitha Shashidhar.
In the first of a short series focusing on Meraki Experiences we take a look at how one of our Technology Partners has applied Meraki cameras to help solve real world challenges relating to people in physical spaces. We are joined by Zack Klima, founder and CEO at WaitTime, and Pravin Mahajan, Head of Solutions Marketing at Meraki who help us explore the power of experiences in IT.
Learn more about WaitTime's solutions at http://thewaittimes.com
Today we're in conversation with a tenured leader at Cisco Meraki, Christy Cook Olcese. Join us for an authentic discussion - we talk about how to cultivate your personal brand, build a board of directors, and learn valuable insights about how to pivot in your career. Christy started as a product sales specialist in Texas for Public Sector, working her way up to her latest role as Director of Americas Partner Organization. She is a sharp and geniune leader who doesn't hold back on what it takes to build a successful career.
When you start a business, you never quite know where the journey will take you. In this episode we talk to Antonio Sapienza of Bizmate, one of the earliest adopters of Meraki APIs, about the evolution of the business from Meraki reseller to Tech Partner. Bizmate's product, V-App, encompasses a wide range of solutions for various industries, and we talk through some of the use cases it supports.
The topic of sustainability has grown to dominate conversation across a wide swathe of industry, and society. With customers increasingly paying attention to how seriously their suppliers are addressing sustainability, it's vital for every business to have a position and to be driving improvements. We can all do better. This episode focuses on the importance of having a sustainability focus, and how Cisco, including Meraki, is moving in a positive direction.
Join us for a conversation with one of Cisco’s Public Sector sales leaders - Gary DePreta. He’s an engineer by trade, consultant by instinct, and cultural leader by DNA. Learn why Gary truly feels he gets to wake up every day and help governments, schools, universities/colleges, and hospitals. He dives into what gives him that spark to chase his purpose, and we learn more about the incredible culture at Cisco.
Our customers and partners always have a story to tell, and in this episode we're hearing about what it's like to manage an IT environment comprising thousands of sites. Scale has its challenges, but SCI has successfully leveraged technology from Cisco, including Meraki, to grow its business, as we'll hear from their Director of IT Security, Zac Fletcher.
A lot has happened since Meraki technology evolved beyond networking. In today's episode we're looking at ways in which our smart cameras and environmental sensors are addressing modern challenges, and changing experiences for businesses, their customers and their employees.
Join us for a conversation with Meraki's CTO - Bret Hull. He's been with the organization since 2010, and discusses the journey along with the changes and evolution of our engineering team through the years. Not only has he built a very successful engineering team in the US, but he has expanded the team globally. Bret’s story is an example of how we invest in our employees.
As offices around the world come back to life, how can we ensure they work more safely and efficiently than before? Technology is ready to help, and PlaceOS is one of the companies working at the intersection of experiences, safety and sustainability in workspaces. In this discussion with the PlaceOS CIO, we look at the Meraki and other technology that's helping ensure we return to better offices.
June is Gay PRIDE month and we can't think of a better way to celebrate than to have some amazing Meraki employees on our episode today. Join us for a discussion with Daniel Jones, Kate Nicholson and Emily Sporl, who are a part of Meraki’s Employee Resource Group - QFAM (Queers And Friends At Meraki). We’ll be discussing an array of topics including a deeper dive into our QFAM ERO and the progress of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (known as LGBTQ) efforts. Also taking time to acknowledge the darker moments and the struggle against discrimination. This conversation is impactful, powerful, and important.
Meraki VP of Marketing Rebecca Stone and VP of Sales Jason Pernell join Unboxed to discuss the dramatic pace of global transformation in digital technology, why business leaders need to embrace the changes that are coming, and how the upcoming Meraki Network event will set them up to thrive in the future hi-tech economy. Register for the Meraki Network, happening on June 16th: https://events.meraki.net/merakinetworkevent
Jessica Gilbert (Meraki's head of Diversity and Collaboration) will take us through a conversation about Meraki's D&I efforts and how they play into Cisco's larger story. You'll learn more about our strategic partnerships, how to think more intentionally about inclusive behaviors, and you'll walk away with actionable steps to create a more inclusive team.
Join us for an insightful conversation with Jenna Linskens, Director of Learning & Innovative Technology of Ithaca College, on lessons learned in the last 14 months in higher education.
We hope you've enjoyed the first 50 episodes of Meraki Unboxed. Please keep your episode ideas and feedback coming by messaging our host on Twitter: @merakisimon or on the Meraki Community: community.meraki.com
Seemingly every industry is going through a technology based transformation, and Financial Services are no exception. In this episode we discuss what specific trends are shaping the new financial services world, and how Meraki and Cisco technology are playing their part.
Join us for an insightful conversation with Cisco Canada President Shannon Leininger. March is 'Women's History Month' - and Shannon delivers a powerful message about what it means to truly find purpose in the work you do. She's an absolute master at finding what fuels her, and allowing that to pour over into the work she does everyday. She opens up about the power of vulnerability, discusses the importance of transparency, and gives us all an opportunity to create a more inclusive environment through the power of curiosity!
Join us for a fascinating discussion with IDC Research Director Dr William Lee, who takes us on a journey through our evolving technology landscape, and how we, as humans, are adapting to the changed world around us. This exploration into IT trends touches on many areas we know well, and provokes us to think about how we can use technology to help us confidently move ahead.
We've come a long way from the days of working in the office with the servers in a room next door. Today we're working from anywhere and everywhere, and our servers have been fragmented into myriad cloud based applications, also located anywhere and everywhere. This presents a challenge for IT teams who are trying to provide secure, authorized access to network resources. SASE, pronounced 'sassy', takes on this challenge, and in this episode we introduce the concept, explaining why it's so relevant in our new normal.
Today we're in conversation with Denise Thomas, the Chief Operating Officer at Meraki, with a deep dive into her career, how she landed at Meraki, and discussing why diversity and inclusion are deeply important to Meraki Values, and our framework as an organization. February is Black History Month - we talk about our amazing employee resource group called 'Connected Black Professionals' and why groups like these are so important to our company DNA.
Feeling entrepreneurial? Interested in running a Managed Service business? In this episode we talk to someone who walked that path and built something special, leveraging the Meraki Platform. Our guest is a fan of the podcast who reached out with this episode idea. Perhaps you'll be next? Learn more at https://www.boundlessdigital.com/
New for 2021, we're starting a series of occasional episodes focused on a specific industry, looking at some of the trends, challenges and technology use cases we see in those industries. To kick off, we're starting with the world of manufacturing, an industry experiencing perhaps its biggest change since the industrial revolution.
Happy New Year! We're kicking off with something special. Holly Dowling is an Inspirational Thought Leader. She has infused her over 20 years of extensive management and leadership experience with her passion for inspiring others to discover their untapped potential and brilliance. Today we sit down with Holly and explore her secrets to untapping your potential, we explore staying connected in this virtual world, and how to create an inclusive work environment.
Here we are at the end of 2020. This is a year we'll probably never forget, as much as might like to. In this final episode of 2020 we invite three guests from the Meraki Community to share their reflections on this crazy year, and look ahead to a new year and new projects. Thank you for listening to Meraki Unboxed in 2020. Stay safe and we'll see you back here soon! community.meraki.com
2020 has challenged us all in many ways, and although many aspects of our lives have been disrupted this year, our networks have kept on going and have never been a more valuable resource. Some things never change, and networks need maintaining and refreshing, even when there are practical challenges in the way. In this episode we discuss some of the dynamics around maintaining healthy networks with a special guest with many years of frontline experience, and also the product marketing lead for Meraki switches.
Computer vision has enormous potential to help us see what's important in the world around us, without the need to be physically present. The Meraki MV Smart Camera opens the door to computer vision, especially thanks to its APIs, which allow developers to build custom applications that can exploit the camera's full abilities. One company that's done this particularly well is Everyangle, and in this episode we get into a fascinating discussion about the potential for the technology, as well as some of Everyangle's customer solutions.
As we enter the holiday season we're reminded of the importance of giving, and giving back. Like any other company, we're part of a wider community, and Merakians are always pursuing ways to contribute to the local community, important societal causes, and raising awareness. In this episode we discuss Meraki Gives, our Employee Resource Organizations, and the timely topic of Movember! Join our team: https://us.movember.com/team/2252219
Technology can only truly advance by embracing simplicity. IoT has been with us for years, yet the reality of applying IoT to business challenges too often means point solutions and complexity. That's just not the Meraki way, and so in this episode you'll hear all about how we're taking a different approach with our latest product line, sensors. Learn more at https://meraki.cisco.com/products/sensors/
Cisco Meraki was born in the cloud, in 2006. Since then the platform on which all Meraki products and features rests has grown beyond all recognition, and today is more capable and efficient than ever. A recent shift to an API-first strategy has set Meraki up for its next phase of growth, and also provides a wealth of opportunity to developers looking to take advantage of network programmability to build custom solutions to the world's challenges. Today's discussion covers all of this and provides pointers to how you can get started on your own Meraki Platform journey.
This week we return to the topic of Meraki APIs, in a discussion with kontakt.io, a technology partner that has found a creative way to unite their beacons with Meraki hardware and APIs to solve some common and emerging business challenges. We also discuss the hub through which developers can share their solutions, apps.meraki.io
We spend a lot of time talking about how Meraki products and features can solve real world challenges here on Meraki Unboxed, but we've never focused purely on the hardware. Today we're putting that right with an interview with our Head of Hardware, one of the earliest employees at Meraki, who provides some fascinating insight into what goes into developing and packaging the hardware we sell, along with some great stories from the early days of the company.
As organizations contemplate a future with more remote working and learning, it's more important than ever to identify efficient ways to support dispersed employees and students at scale. For many years, Meraki Systems Manager has been supporting the management of up to tens of thousands of devices, regardless of their location, so it's more than up to the task at hand. In this episode we welcome back Amelie from our Product Marketing team to discuss some of the attributes and features of Systems Manager that can ease the burden of IT teams tasked with supporting large scale, and enduring, remote working and learning.
One of the sectors to have suffered greatly in 2020 is unquestionably education. For students, faculty and staff alike, it's been an extremely trying time that has highlighted challenges with the use of technology for online learning, particularly in terms of access and, for those contemplating some form of in-person learning, safety. We are joined by two IT leaders from two large scale State Universities, for a discussion about their experiences and how they're looking ahead to the new academic year.
Back in March, the whole team at Cisco, like so many companies around the world, migrated to working from home in response to the pandemic. It's been a turbulent time for everyone, in so many ways. What's vital for businesses everywhere is ongoing productivity, and IT is at the heart of it all in this new reality. For this episode we welcome back Ryan Ansley, our Head of IT at Meraki who joined us to share his career story in Episode 19. This time we're talking about how his team has adapted to the sudden shock back in March, both on a technical and human level.
It's one thing to be able to work from home in the midst of a pandemic, but quite another to recreate an IT experience like being in the office. With authentication, performance and security to consider, IT teams are looking for solutions, not more headaches. In today's episode we focus on practical ways in which our teleworker appliance can transform the experience of working from home, or from anywhere!
There's always been a case for flexible networking solutions, accommodating remote or temporary sites, and to provide backup. That case has been further strengthened by the pandemic, which has thrown up considerable productivity challenges for us all. The Meraki Cellular Gateway makes it easier to take advantage of cellular networks where regular ISP connectivity may be limited, or even to augment those with redundancy. Join us for a deep dive into the use cases and technology behind our cellular gateway.
The FCC in the US recently announced a signifcant expansion of radio spectrum reserved for use by Wi-Fi technology. In a world filled with mobile devices and appliances, this specturm will help to ensure we can continue to enjoy good performance, with less congestion, for years to come. In today's episode we discuss the merits of Wi-Fi 6E and look forward to its adoption in the years ahead.
The global pandemic has forced unforeseen challenges on us all. The teams at Cisco Meraki are no exception, where from early March we've all been working remotely. In this episode we're in discussion with our Support Lead for EMEA, talking about the experiences of his team in this trying time, and how they pulled together to maintain a consistent support experience for customers.
Just a mention of the word 'troubleshooting' to a network administrator might be enough to send shivers down their spine. Everyone has a story. The truth is, troubleshooting can be a painful exercise. At Cisco Meraki we strive to make every aspect of network administration easier, and troubleshooting is at the heart of that. In today's episode we discuss new, intelligent enhancements to our suite of troubleshooting tools.
Thoroughly securing a network involves many elements, and providing a consistent experience for users as they move between buildings and sites can create a mountain of complexity. In this episode we look at a creative solution to this challenge that we call Adaptive Policy. This feature significantly reduces the administrative overhead associated with securing a dynamic network environment.
Version control is a fundamental component of Product Management, providing focus for development teams, and helping our customers clearly understand what versions deliver what capabilities. At Meraki we're moving to versioning for our dashboard API, and in this episode we talk to a couple of the prime movers making that happen.
Building really large networks is far from trivial work. There are the physical considerations, especially when working across multiple locations, and then there are the protocols that enable the reliable flow of data, and finally maintaining the equipment itself. John Fuller looks after a substantial Meraki estate at a huge school district and in this episode offers some reflections on his work.
Challenging times, and even though the whole of Cisco is working from home – as many are around the world – the show goes on, and at Meraki we're continuing to develop our products and features to help solve real-world challenges. In this episode we're in conversation with Scott Wierstra, one of our wireless product managers, learning what's happening in Wi-Fi.
There's enormous potential for solving real world challenges using Meraki APIs. Today we're in discussion with Splash Access, who have taken full advantage of this potential to solve a common challenge in the higher education sector.
The Meraki Security team recently joined our security-focused friends across Cisco at RSA in San Francisco. In today's episode we're talking to Rahul from the Meraki Product Management team who walks us through some of our recent security-related announcements and how we contributed to the world's number one security event.
Ryan Ansley leads the Digital Workplace team at Cisco Meraki, and he's got a great story to tell about his journey through various IT roles in which he's provisioned, deployed, recommended and been a customer, before joining Meraki. At every stage he's experienced the benefits of a Meraki solution from a different perspective, so he was an obvious choice for a discussion on Meraki Unboxed. If you've made your career in IT, or are thinking about a career in IT, this one's for you.
Meraki APIs provide integration with other IT tools AND the opportunity for technology partners to develop their own innovative solutions to address emerging technology challenges. Today we're in conversation with Armis, a Meraki technology partner that focuses on better security for IoT devices. Learn more about the Meraki Marketplace at https://apps.meraki.io
It's easy to underestimate the vital role that switches perform in every network. And like every other area of the Meraki portfolio, our switches have been adding new capabilities that both simplify deployment and empower the network administrator with more granular tools than were hitherto available. Today's discussion with two esteemed Product Managers from the Meraki Switching team lifts the lid on some of these new capabilities and how they can make a difference in the real world.
The Meraki Community gives our customers, partners and employees a place to mingle online, to share ideas, help one another, and provide feedback. As with every community, there are a few standout characters who really help to stoke discussion and contribute disproportionately to the conversation. In today's episode we bring 3 of our Community All-Stars together for some fascinating insights into their worlds and the value they derive from the Community. Check it out at https://community.meraki.com
This week we are in discussion with Imran Idrees from Meraki Product Marketing, talking about our latest product line, the Cisco Meraki Cellular Gateway, that seamlessly transposes a wireless cellular signal to wired Ethernet for primary or failover connectivity. With the Cellular Gateway there's no longer any concern about cellular signal reach into a building, and Imran helps us understand the use cases where it will make a real difference.
Organizations have been using device management in many different ways for many years. Sometimes it's purely for inventory, sometimes for more advanced device management. Meraki Systems Manager's integration with the rest of the Meraki portfolio presents new opportunities for integrating security measures that help to protect users' devices and the networks they connect to. In today's episode we dig into recent developments of this cloud-hosted software and how they can be implemented.
The world of IT security never stands still, and Cisco is at the forefront of helping to protect its customers in support of a productive and healthy online experience. At Cisco Meraki we've been incubating a range of new products and software features that help lower the bar for providing a secure network and in today's episode we talk to Jeevan, our head of Product Marketing, to learn more about what we've announced.
For the first time we welcome a customer onto the show to talk about how Meraki solutions have transformed the IT experience at Reading School District. If you're an IT administrator, or responsible for IT at your school or business, you won't want to miss this great conversation.
Meraki APIs are a hot topic for network engineers, partners, and our Cisco and Meraki teams. On this podcast we’ve brought in some additional perspective from a real-live developer and Meraki Managed Services Provider, as well as a Developer Evangelist from the Cisco DevNet team. Listen in to hear their thoughts on why more and more network engineers are turning to API services and what is the easiest way to get started.
Cisco Tactical Operations (TacOps) is part of Cisco's Corporate Social Responsibility mission. TacOps helps provide vital connectivity in emergency situations like hurricanes and earthquakes, as well as helping the vulnerable who find themselves far from home and loved ones. In today's episode we talk with the TacOps team about their work and how you could be a part of it. https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/supply-chain-sustainability/tactical-operations-tacops.html
Meraki cloud-managed technology is proudly simple to use, and also loaded with powerful tools. Like any tech product, training really helps to unlock the potential of the solution, so we provide several pathways to help those wanting to get deeper with our tech. Today we're talking to Matt and Trisha from our Training & Evangelism team, exploring what they have to offer.
The relentless growth of devices connecting to the internet has pushed the traditional IP addressing method to breaking point. In other words, the internet has run out of IPv4 addresses! This episode shines a light on the issues and opportunities presented by IPv6.
Digital Transformation takes many forms, and one of those is changing the employee experience by uniting facilities and IT functions. In this way it's possible to significantly boost the experience through the thoughtful application of technology. Our latest episode is a discussion on our own Digital Workplace journey and its realities at Meraki.
The worlds of IT management and software are merging together as powerful APIs become available. Cisco Meraki is at the leading edge of opening its platform for powerful integrations with existing management or customer engagement tools. Today we talk to Tony Carmichael to learn more about the opportunities this evolving approach opens up.
Taking products and features all the way from conception to customer involves many steps and takes a lot of focused effort. In this episode we talk to our Senior Director of Product Management and dig-in to some of the detail behind the scenes.
This week we're talking to the Product Manager and Lead Engineer for our Meraki Insight network and application performance monitoring tool. With apps moving to the cloud, Meraki Insight helps network engineers by identifying the true culprit behind a poor end user experience, whether the issue resides in the LAN, the WAN or the application hosting server.
In today's episode we're covering the important topic of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, particularly in tech. Meraki Chief of Staff Denise Thomas leads a discussion with Tiffany Stevenson, VP and Global Head of Talent and Belonging at Box.
In today's episode we talk to George Bentinck – Product Manager for Meraki MV Smart Cameras – about what led Meraki to move into the area of physical security and sensors. George takes us through the history of the product, its totally fresh architectural approach, and how it is now capable of acting as a sensor for business, leveraging a powerful API.
On today's episode we interview our General Manager, Todd Nightingale (@tnight), and dig into the core philosophy that drives us at Cisco Meraki. In a world of technology complexity, Meraki chooses unwavering dedication to simplicity as a perennial goal. Our tagline – Work Simple – is our way of promoting this approach, helping our customers and partners deal with an increasingly fast-paced world. Todd brings his usual passion to this topic, as well as some insight into his favourite San Francisco coffee!
For our pilot episode, we talk to Jeevan Patil, Head of Product Marketing at Cisco Meraki about Wi-Fi 6 and exciting new developments in the world of wireless.
Meraki Unboxed is a twice-monthly podcast covering the products, technology and culture of Cisco Meraki, the home of cloud-managed IT that's simple to live with. Hosted by @merakisimon