Cisco Meraki Umbrella SD-WAN Connector Deployment Guide

Prerequisites

VPN Topology: Either a full-tunnel or split-tunnel configuration depending on your organization’s needs. This guide outlines the steps for deploying the Meraki Umbrella SD-WAN Connector.

Cisco Umbrella Subscription: Ensure you have an active Umbrella subscription.
Cisco Meraki Dashboard Access: You must have administrative access to the Meraki Dashboard.
Meraki MX Device: Make sure you are using an MX device (MX67 and above) with an active SD-WAN license.
Umbrella API Key: You’ll need the API key for Umbrella to connect it with Meraki.

Cisco Meraki Umbrella SD-WAN Connector Deploymen

Step 1: Configure Cisco Umbrella

Before integrating with Meraki, you need to set up the necessary components in the Umbrella dashboard.

Step 2: Configure Cisco Meraki MX for Umbrella Integration

2.1. Log in to Meraki Dashboard

Go to https://dashboard.meraki.com and sign in.

2.2. Enable Umbrella in Meraki Dashboard

Navigate to Security & SD-WAN > Configure > Threat Protection.
Scroll down to the Cisco Umbrella Protection section.
Select Enable Umbrella Protection.
Enter the Umbrella API Key and Secret you generated earlier.
Click Save Changes.

2.3. Configure Site-to-Site VPN

Go to Security & SD-WAN > Configure > Site-to-site VPN.
Select the Hub-and-Spoke or Full Mesh VPN topology, depending on your network architecture.
Set the appropriate VPN routing options:
- Full Tunnel: Routes all traffic through the MX hub.
- Split Tunnel: Routes specific traffic (like SaaS applications) through Umbrella.

2.4. Configure SD-WAN Policies

Go to Security & SD-WAN > SD-WAN & Traffic Shaping.
In the VPN Traffic section, configure rules to direct specific traffic to Umbrella, especially for internet-bound traffic (such as SaaS apps or web traffic).
Create policies like:
- Destination: Any internet traffic.
- Preferred Path: Choose the primary uplink that will be monitored by the SD-WAN connector.

Step 3: Configure Umbrella SD-WAN Connector in Meraki

3.1. Add Umbrella Connector to the Meraki Network

Go to Security & SD-WAN > SD-WAN & Traffic Shaping.
Scroll down to Cloud Security.
Click Add Umbrella Connector.
Enter the required information, such as Organization ID, Umbrella API Token, and select the MX network you wish to connect to Umbrella.

3.2. Select Traffic to Route via Umbrella

Define which traffic you want to send through Umbrella, based on your DNS policies or security policies defined in Umbrella.
Choose whether you want all traffic or specific traffic types (such as web browsing, streaming, or SaaS applications) to route through the connector.

3.3. Configure Application-Based Routing (Optional)

If your deployment includes Meraki SD-WAN with intelligent traffic routing, configure application-based routing for traffic like Office 365, Google Workspace, and others to take priority.

3.4. Monitor Traffic

Use the Umbrella Dashboard to verify that the configured traffic is routed through Umbrella, and see traffic logs, application insights, and threat intelligence.

Step 4: Test and Verify the Deployment

4.1. Verify Traffic Routing

Test routing by sending DNS queries or web traffic from a client behind the Meraki MX.
Check if traffic is routed through Umbrella for filtering and security enforcement.

4.2. Monitor in Umbrella Dashboard

Go to the Umbrella Dashboard and check Reports > Activity to confirm that your DNS and web traffic is being processed.

4.3. Review Meraki Logs

In the Meraki Dashboard, navigate to Network-Wide > Event Log.
Check for Umbrella-related logs and ensure the MX device is forwarding traffic as expected.

Additional Considerations

Dynamic Policies: Use Meraki’s content filtering to further complement Umbrella DNS filtering.
Umbrella Insights: With Umbrella SIG, you can apply security at the IP layer and see more granular details about which users and devices are attempting to access blocked resources.
Failover Handling: Ensure that Meraki MX devices have multiple uplinks configured for SD-WAN failover to maintain redundancy in case of WAN link failures.

Conclusion

The integration of Cisco Meraki MX SD-WAN with Cisco Umbrella enables enhanced cloud-based security by directing traffic through Umbrella’s Secure Internet Gateway. This deployment ensures that you gain comprehensive control over internet-bound traffic and benefit from DNS-layer protection, threat intelligence, and secure web gateway features.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rashmi Bhardwaj

I am here to share my knowledge and experience in the field of networking with the goal being – “The more you share, the more you learn.”

I am a biotechnologist by qualification and a Network Enthusiast by interest. I developed interest in networking being in the company of a passionate Network Professional, my husband.

I am a strong believer of the fact that “learning is a constant process of discovering yourself.”
– Rashmi Bhardwaj (Author/Editor)

Cisco Meraki Umbrella SD-WAN Connector Deployment Guide

Table of Contents

Prerequisites