Hybrid Operating Mode for Catalyst Cloud-Managed Switches - Overview
IMPORTANT: This rollout happens in phases, and availability may vary. If the hybrid operating mode option is not visible when adding switches, it will be available soon. We are working to bring this feature to all eligible organizations.
Introducing the public beta of cloud-managed Catalyst in hybrid operating mode for Cisco Catalyst 9200 and 9300 series switches running IOS XE 17.15.3 or later. This is the enhanced upgrade replacement to Cloud Monitoring for Catalyst switching.
Hybrid operating mode enables Catalyst 9000 series switches to be managed in the Meraki dashboard, providing an integrated view into device details, status, configuration, metrics, events and alerts; perform remote diagnostics and troubleshooting; and make configuration changes. Utilizing cloud-native capabilities built into IOS XE, cloud-managing Catalyst switches is now simpler and more efficient than ever.
What's New?
- Hybrid operating mode is the evolution of Cloud Monitoring for Catalyst
- Dashboard-based onboarding experience (no application required). Learn more about this onboarding experience here
- Significant cloud connectivity benefits over Cloud Monitoring
- Write-capable Cloud CLI, to modify switch configuration directly from dashboard, with session and change logging. Learn more
- Intelligent packet capture
- Alert hub integration
- Syslog event logging
Supported Hardware Models
Hybrid operating mode currently supports the following switch models, including stacks:
- Catalyst 9200 series switches (including 9200L and 9200CX models).
- Catalyst 9300 series switches (including 9300L, 9300LM, 9300X models).
|
Catalyst 9200 |
C9200-24T, C9200-24P, C9200-24PB, C9200-24PXG, C9200-48T, C9200-48P, C9200-48PL, C9200-48PB, C9200-48PXG C9200L-24T-4G, C9200L-24P-4G, C9200L-48T-4G, C9200L-48P-4G, C9200L-48PL-4G, C9200L-24T-4X, C9200L-24P-4X, C9200L-48T-4X, C9200L-48P-4X, C9200L-48PL-4X, C9200L-24PXG-4X, C9200L-48PXG-4X, C9200L-24PXG-2Y, C9200L-48PXG-2Y C9200CX-12T-2X2G, C9200CX-12P-2X2G, C9200CX-8P-2X2G, C9200CX-8UXG-2X, C9200CX-12P-2XGH, C9200CX-8P-2XGH, C9200CX-8UXG-2XH
|
|---|---|
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Catalyst 9300 |
C9300X-48HX, C9300X-48TX, C9300X-48HXN, C9300X-24HX, C9300X-12Y, C9300X-24Y, C9300-24T, C9300-48T, C9300-24P, C9300-48P2, C9300-24U, C9300-48U, C9300-24UX, C9300-48UXM2, C9300-48UN, C9300-24UB, C9300-24UXB, C9300-48UB, C9300-24H, C9300-48H, C9300-24S, C9300-48S C9300L-24T-4G, C9300L-24T-4X, C9300L-48T-4G, C9300L-48T-4X, C9300L-24P-4G, C9300L-48P-4X, C9300L-48PF-4G, C9300L-48PF-4X, C9300L-24UXG-4X, C9300L-24UXG-2Q, C9300L-48UXG-4X, C9300L-48UXG-2Q C9300LM-48UX-4Y, C9300LM-48U-4Y, C9300LM-24U-4Y, C9300LM-48T-4Y
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- Catalyst 9500 series switches will be supported soon
- Switches labeled with -M, such as the C9300-M, are fully cloud-managed and do not require onboarding. Claim them like any Meraki device using the Cloud ID physically labeled on the device
Supported IOS XE Software
Hybrid operating mode is supported on Catalyst switches running IOS XE version 17.15.3 and above.
Licensing
Catalyst switches require an active DNA Essentials or Advantage license. Traffic analytics and application-level visibility are only available in Dashboard for switches that have a DNA Advantage license.
Cloud Connectivity
Switches operating in hybrid operating mode communicate with dashboard similarly to other cloud-connected switches, using TCP 443 on specified subnets.
Ensure that outgoing firewall rules allow connections from switches to connect to the cloud at the following destination subnets on TCP 443:
209.206.48.0/20
216.157.128.0/20
158.115.128.0/19
Migration and Upgrade Paths
|
Category |
Product |
Path |
|---|---|---|
|
Onboarding Catalyst switches to Meraki Cloud in hybrid operating mode |
C9200 and C9300 series switches |
Follow the process documented in Connecting a hybrid mode Catalyst switch to Dashboard |
|
Upgrading cloud-monitored switches to hybrid operating mode |
C9200 and C9300 series switches |
Switches must be removed from Cloud Monitoring for Catalyst before being enabled for hybrid operating mode. Click here for details. |
|
Converting an cloud-managed Catalyst switch from hybrid to cloud operating mode |
C9200 and C9300 series switches |
Remove the hybrid switch from its Dashboard network and then follow the process at Connect Hybrid Operating Mode Catalyst Switch to Dashboard |
For more details, please refer to the FAQs.
Unsupported Features and Known Issues
- When port-channel 0 is used as the uplink connection to Dashboard from the switch, details about this aggregation interface are not visible in Dashboard
- Each interface will report a maximum of 1,000 clients to Dashboard
- An active application hosted on a Catalyst switch may prevent the initial onboarding from completing successfully. As a workaround, the application can be disabled until onboarding has completed
Key Updates to Cloud Monitoring for Catalyst Switches
Cloud-managed Catalyst in hybrid operating mode (on IOS XE 17.15.3 and above) is the recommended upgrade path for all Cloud Monitoring for Catalyst switches. Starting May 1, 2025, no new organizations will be permitted to onboard switches to the Cloud Monitoring for Catalyst service. Effective November 1, 2025, no additional switches will be permitted to onboard, period. Service on Cloud Monitoring for Catalyst is expected to terminate on January 31, 2026. After this date, switches which have not migrated from Cloud Monitoring to cloud-managed hybrid operating mode will lose dashboard connectivity, but all switching functions will continue to operate aside from this. Devices onboarded to hybrid operating mode via dashboard's onboarding process require no further action.
Benefits of Upgrading to Hybrid Operating Mode
Hybrid operating mode for devices on IOS XE 17.15.3+ offers the same Cloud Monitoring functionality, plus exclusive features:
- Dashboard-based onboarding experience (no onboard application required)
- Cloud CLI, a fully interactive CLI terminal hosted right in the cloud dashboard for your IOS XE Catalyst switches. In hybrid operating mode, Cloud CLI offers the option to enable write access to modify switch configuration via CLI directly in Dashboard. Learn more.
- Intelligent packet capture
- Alert hub integration
- Syslog event logging
- Integrated software image/firmware upgrade capability coming soon
Leverages the cloud-native capabilities of IOS XE to significantly enhance how devices are managed by Dashboard as compared to Cloud Monitoring:\
- Up to 5x more efficient network bandwidth usage
- Faster configuration response
- Reduced device CPU impact
- 2x improved cloud tunnel reliability