Network Topology
Learn more with this free online training course on the Meraki Learning Hub:
Overview
Cisco Meraki MS switches must be deployed in the network for the Network-wide > Topology option to be available.
In combined networks, topology shows an integrated Cisco Meraki network that has MX Security Appliances, MS Switches, and MR Access points. Squares represent MX security appliances, rectangles represent MS switches, stacked rectangles represent MS physical switch stacks, and circles represent MR access points. Non-Meraki equipment is also detected if it is one hop away (and will appear as an empty diamond); depending on the protocols supported by a non-Meraki device, the topology view may be able to discern LLDP data like model type, IP, and manufacturer. Meraki devices in a different network will be denoted by blue diamonds.
Note: The topology view may take up to 30 days to accurately reflect nodes and/or links disconnected from the network.
Layer 2 Topology View
By default, the layer 2 topology is displayed.
Learn which physical links in your network are most heavily-trafficked; simply hover over individual network links to learn statistics about that connection’s negotiated speed, usage, and number of directly connected clients using it in the past day.
If the upstream core/aggregation switch in the network is not a Meraki MS switch and is capable of both CDP and LLDP, topology may not display correctly. To resolve this please disable CDP on the non-Meraki switch's interfaces to the MS switch or switch stacks. Once disabled, topology will slowly correct itself as the LLDP information is updated by each node.
Layer 3 Topology View
In addition to the L2 Topology, the L3 Topology view allows administrators to visualize the L3 connectivity in their network.
This tool enables administrator to quickly become familiar with a network environment. By hovering over different segments of the topology, key Layer 3 data points are instantly available. While hovering over a node—for example—Subnets, Node IPs on each specific Subnet, and Static Routes for that particular node are listed. While hovering over a specific VLAN, you can see the VLAN ID, VLAN Subnet, and Number of Clients on that VLAN in one location.
The L3 Topology also streamlines the troubleshooting process by visualizing the network environment. For example, when two nodes should be able to communicate via a shared subnet but there is no visual connection between these nodes in the L3 topology, this may indicate that one or both of the nodes have a misconfiguration on that particular subnet.
Some of the rules that are used to generate the L3 Topology are listed below:
- Nodes with interfaces on the same subnet will have lines drawn between them
- If 3x or more nodes have interfaces on the same subnet, a pipe icon will be used to represent the subnet
- If a non-Meraki device is detected as the next hop, a diamond will be used
- The L3 Topology is structured as a tree, where the default route (0.0.0.0/0) is used to determine which device is upstream of a particular node
Network topology page may have issues loading if a dashboard network either exceeds 400 switches per network or 1000 total nodes per network.