Meraki **********
****** *** * ******** networking ******* ********* ******** ** **** for $*.**. ****** ******* ** easy ** ****** **** Wifi ************ *** ********* clients **** ****** * robust *******, ******* *** need ** **** * dedicated ** ********** ** build *** ****** **. The ****** ******* ******* were *** ******* ******* a *****-***** *********, *** the ******* ********* *** positive ******** **** *** customers.
***** ***** ********, ****** has ******** ** ******* additional ********** ********** (********, routers, ***.) *** **** phones ** *** *********, covering *** ******** ** key ************** ********** *** a ***** ** ****** corporate ***.
IP ****** ********
***** *** *** ******** of *** ****** ** camera, ** ****** ***** and ** ******* *****. Both **** *** **** core *****, **** *** outdoor ***** ***** ****/**** rated. *** *****:

- **** ********** ***** ********* / *********
- *-**** ********* ****
- ** ***********, *** *****
- ***** *** (***-**********)
- * **** ******** **** next-day ***********
5MP ****** *** **** **** *****
****** *** ******* ******** have * *** ***** sensor, **** **** ******* 720p ***** (**** *** recorded) *** ***** ** no ********** ** ****** higher ********** ******. ****** says **** ***** ** changed *** * ******** update, *** ***** *** no ***** ** ** so ** **** ****.
**** *** *** **** expect ** ******* ********** cameras ** *** ******, but *** *** ****** to ******** ******** ** dates.
Edge ************ / ** ******* ******* / ** ***** *********
*** ******* *** ** edge-storage ************, **** *** video ****** ** *** camera. *** ******* ** soldered **** *** ***, it ** *** ********** or *********. ** ***** 24/7 *********, *** ****** provides ** **** ** storage, ******-****, ** ********* recording *** ******** **** to ** **** ** more, *** ********* ****** not ****** ****-**** ***** retention.
* ***** ****** ** metadata **** **** ** the ****** ***** ** enable ********* **** ***** motion ****** (******* *****), but ******** ***** ***** on-site.
Built *** *** ** *******
****** **** **** *** ** channel *** *** *** an "**** ** ****" camera ********, *** **** was ***** **** **** designing **** *******. **** of **** **** *** to ********* *** *********** for *********** ** ****** server ************** *** ********* storage ************, ***** ****** described ** "*********** ** spec". *******, **** **** to *** ******* ** the ******** *********, * resolution ******, * ******* option, * ****-****** ******.
***** ********* ******* ** ** integrators, ***** ** ***** they *** ********, *** they **** ****** ** pursue *********** ******** *********** **** this ********.
Management *********
******'* ******** *** ****** ******** around their *****-***** ********** *** device ************* *********, *** that ** *** ************** for *** ****** ** well.
** ******** ****** ***** a ******* ** ********* cameras **** **** **** MAC *******, ** *******, serial ******, ******, *** model:
***** ******** *** ** managed ** *** *********, like ******* ** *-****** authentication *** ******, ******** automatic ****** ******** ********, or ******* ****** ** a ****** **** ******* for * ******* ****** of ****.

Viewing *** ********
****** **** **** ******** users *********** **** ****** VMSes ****** ******** ***** interface, *** **** ****** to **** ********* **** was **** ** *** and **** ********* **** existing *********.
*** *********** **** *** cameras ** **** ******* a ******* *********, ***** are ** ** ****** software ** *********/***** *****. Up ** ** ******* *** be ****** ************** ** a ************ ***** ****** in * ****** ******* tab. ******** **** *** be ****** ** *** user ***** ** ****** between ******** *******, *** each *** ** ******* to ** ******* *****.
******** ***** *** ** called ** ***** ** entering * ***** ****, or ** ******** ** area *** * ******-********* search. ******** ******* *** be ****** **** ** sync, *** ** ***** limited ** ** ** once.

User **********
**** ********** ****** *** each **** ** ** granted ****** ** ******** cameras, ****** ** *******, or *** ******* ** the *******. ****** *** be *** ****, ******** or ********+****** ************.

Camera ****
**** *** ***** **** descriptors, *** ******* *** have ******** ****, **** as "**** *", "*** Floor", "*****", *** "******** Department". ***** *** ** used *** **** ****** (grant ***** ****** ** all ******* ****** ** "Lobby"), ** *** ******* or ********* * ***** of ******* (**** *** cameras ****** ** "**** 1").
Pricing ********
*** ****** ****** ** $1,299 ****, *** *** outdoor ****** ** $*,*** MSRP. ********** ********* **** by ******* *****, **** ****** prices ******** ** ** ~10% **** **** ****.
** ******** ** *** camera ******** *****, * per-camera ****** ******* ** required ** *** *** software. ******** ***** ** $300 *** * *-**** term, *** *** ** purchased ******** ***** ** a **** ** *** *********. For ******* $*** **** a * **** *******, and * * **** license ** $***. ***** prices *** **** ****, and *********** *** ****** to **** **** *** a ***** *****. *** licenses *** *-**** ************, so ***** ** ** RMR *********.
Outlook *** ****** *******
******* * $*,*** **** camera **** * $*** annual ************ **** ** difficult, **** *** *****, whose ********* *** **** to ****** * ******* for *** *****. ***** is * ***** ** the ****-**-********** ******, ************ for ******** ****** ********* who **** ** ****** all ***** ************** ******* * single *******, *** ***** users ****** ******* ****** something ****** **** ******-***** resolution *** *** *****.
***** *** ************ ******** large *********** **** ***** security *********, *** *** been ***** ** **** in ***** ***********, ****** **** ***** ****** control ******* **** ****** ******* ** customers. ****** ** ****** a **** ********** ********, with * ********** ********* and **** *************, *** will **** ** ** more ********* ** ***** pricing ** ***** ** win *********** ******** ** the ****-**-***-****** ****** ******** market.
****

Comments (69)
Undisclosed #1
The race to the top is on! Take that Hikvision!
The only target demo I can see for this is: IT firms that don't work in surveillance whose clients say "I want cameras", clients who have zero clue and have taken the Cisco roofie. I am sure some are out there.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed Integrator #2
$1300 for a 720p camera and $300/year per camera for license... are you kidding me? Suicide. At $300/yr/camera, that is the equivilent of replacing the system annually with hikvision cameras.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed #1
In a way I feel like it would be a great service to the IT administrators out there if this was a public article. If nothing else it will make them spit their coffee back into their Cisco coffee cup, throw their Cisco pen out the window, and rip their Cisco branded shirt off at the decision they almost made.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed Distributor #3
i cant imagine that anyone with the slightest bit of knowledge about security cameras and the market would buy this.
Create New Topic
Ari Erenthal
10/14/16 02:06pm
Didn't Cisco already try the "let's overcharge IT people who don't know what surveillance product should cost or what industry standard specifications are" strategy once already? I don't remember how it turned out. I assume well.
Create New Topic
Robert Shih
10/14/16 02:56pm
I have this blank stare stuck on my face for this article...
Really?!
REALLY?!
There are people who have the audacity to complain about MY prices SavvyTech Security prices?!?!?!
I... I can't...
I mean really, our dealer prices are pretty dirt cheap already and then some nickel and dime-ing a-hole comes in and demands (not even politely) high end solutions at BELOW MASS DISTRIBUTION PRICING without buying in volume at all?!
BTW, if his cheap ass ever decides to pay for a subscription for this site and sees this, go f yourself and buy that crap grey market on Alibaba. SOB doesn't even have an account @ ADI like a REAL integrator. You wanna know why I still need to make a margin on products? WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THAT PRODUCT AND BRING IT FROM WHERE IT'S MADE TO WHERE YOUR FACE IS CAUSE THAT'S WHERE I'D LOVE TO SMASH IT INTO!!!
And here, Cisco-Meraki wants to throw this in our face? I bust my ass to get people bargains and special solutions and Cisco expects to waltz in and just tell people, "pay me."
Wooooow... My projection on this is not a single one will be sold at this price. None. Whoever does buy this deserves to be fleeced.
/rant (rough week)
Create New Topic
Ethan Ace
So everyone has focused so hard on how expensive this is, and it really is. It's priced crazily. And why they'd use a 5MP sensor for 720p video is beyond me.
But, two things:
Cisco is going to sell a bunch of these. Probably not millions, but thousands. Tens of thousands, even. And every single one sold is going to make the margin that a much higher number of Hikivision/Dahua/etc. low cost models make. Plus $300/year. With all the concern about the race to the bottom, this seems like a really shrewd move to show actual differentiation, with a built in target market: Cisco based IT departments.
Second, the cloud management is a great idea, in my opinion. Why we do not already have that from other manufacturers is baffling. I don't care about the cloud viewing/recording, as I'd still prefer a VMS or NVR. But from an end user management/integrator service perspective, cloud config, firmware management, and health monitoring seems very handy. I'm not sure how deep the Meraki camera management will go, but the ability to perform these tasks without having to be on site or use some type of remote access is smart.
Create New Topic
Gert Molkens
Finally a cloud managed solution, why did this take so long?
Sure the pricing isn't very realistic but hey, it's Cisco. They sell switches as if they were for free while they cost 2 to 10 times more than the competition.
Create New Topic
Ross Vander Klok
I 100% guarantee you that if they release this product someone from my IT staff will ask me the following questions:
Create New Topic
Undisclosed Distributor #3
I didnt even think about government jobs. Yeah, I can imaging they will buy these. Given Cisco is such a valuable brand, the gov jobs just dont care what they spend per camera, they care about reliability and the Cisco Brand has traditionally offered that.
I cant imagine this will do well in the private sector though. Anyone with half a brain should know better than to buy a 720p camera for this much.
Create New Topic
Michael Miller
Single camera system: $1299-$1499 + $300 per year
Four camera system $5196-$5996 + $1200 per year
Eight camera system $10,392-$11,992 + $2400 per year
I am hoping Avigilon sees this thread as they already have the ES cameras with more storage 256GB, more resolution up to 3MP, on-board analytics, and better form factors. Just need to add the cloud management side and they will have a very popular solution.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed #4
Am I understanding this right?
You will not be able to access recorded (and live) video if:
Also, does the video go directly to the browser on the LAN or thru the cloud? (I know it doesn't get recorded)
How is remote access handled?
Create New Topic
Horace Lasell
Interesting that they used a 5 MP sensor. I wonder if they are using onboard processing to aggregate pixels for enhanced dynamic range? It would take very little processing power to support a 1 MP video stream from (for example) a 4 MP sensor, simply by summing up each 2x2 block of pixels. This could deliver a 1 MP stream at 2x the sensor's native dynamic range.
Create New Topic
Horace Lasell
Thanks, that's good information.
Create New Topic
Frantz Mathias
Hi
Cisco hasn't much dent in the Surveillance sector and they won't make any with this offering. Re-read the Costco special post above. You think that people will not notice, the clear difference? Not professionals! No! The Layperson noticing that what they see at Costco is higher resolution than their Cisco stuff... Then you're asking a security professional to get this rather than an Axis or Canon or ... Hikvision? That wouldn't fly.
We tend to perceive those great corporations as almost deities not able to make any mistakes .. They do and repeatedly .. Notice how Microsoft never was able to present an alternative to the iPod or the iPhone and still today entirely out of the mobile phone space, same for Intel who's product arenot to be found in any cellphone or most tablets or Xerox after inventing the GUI completely missed out the PC space or IBM ..., or <place holder for big large companies making utterly stupid strategic mistakes >...
Cisco needs to either acquire a serious camera or VMS manufacturers. As their products stand now, no one will give a hoot about their Surveillance offering.. It could be much better for them to acquire Avigilon or something similar .. That would be scary.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed Manufacturer #6
Cisco has always been the Lindsay Lohan of the surveillance industry. 720p? Um, Cisco, 2005 just called; they want their cameras back.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed #4
As for the 5MP sensor vs 720p streaming, they could always add-in enhancement wand, ala Drop Cam.
Compared to the 1080p/3M, a 720p/5MP magic wand would seem nothing short of Merakiculous.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed End User #7
We've had nothing but issues out of the one site that we have that uses Cisco Meraki devices. It's garbage.
Create New Topic
Ed Vergara
My experience "working" with Cisco types is mostly in federal government area where the IT people just want "it" done regardless of cost. Depending on the command, they don't have to go out and bid out the equipment if it's under a certain amount.
And security equipment gets bundled into their federal government IT maintenance contract and the customer doesn't have to shell out the maintenance money out of his budget.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed #8
Single point of management including licensing. Win. Change the script and principal within the security industry? Obvious Win. We now have every other flavor of IP video at our fingertips why not this one? Are we now so quick to condemn new technology changes? Is there a 'bare life' status for rejected technological innovations that do not succeed as the sovereign exalted peers become triggered as the sky falls. The risk element is does not out weigh the big huevos to bring this one out of the cage.
Not a race to the top. The manufacturer and integrator are presented with choice as the path has been severed. Perhaps Meraki can add a selfie app into the camera, a simple hand jester and ping...the selfie is in your mailbox. What if you could ask a camera and say something like this, "AlexaB48....Has Mark Doe entered the building yet? I do not see him logged in, please find him and send him my status report in my que folder".
(Using sign language analytics) ... Alexa, I need help with this file cabinet, please beacon for assistance.
Consumers, Customers and Council be prepared to change the sales pitch, that little IT nerd you have micro managed and stripped of power that was once a great Unix Administration God is now found a way back onto your map!
(Hikvision), surely you can pursue this competition. Then you will not need an Enterprise VMS that people are dying to persecute.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed #8
@ JH, yes the Meraki camera specifications as marketed are easily out rivaled. Especially if the benchmark shootout of video is based on price+quality. Innovation is key element, what exactly are their intentions of that 5mp sensor? Are there any other hidden upgrades that were not broadcasted the involve future adaptations with the Meraki/Cisco products?
Onboard storage, engineering consolidated and simplified and what seems to be a unified deployment as we all will use the same dashboard for management. I am no SME however the design seems to fall into the DIYs realm **IT Not Required.
My knee jerk reaction to this concept is - Immediate Deployment and the reduction of training all those integrator technicians to master each and every nuance of each and every VMS/IPC GUI available. I know we are all different however look at the similarities between these simple CLIs...BASH, TERMINAL, COMMAND PROMPT, POWERSHELL. Soon IoT will have Cybersecurity at the push of an online audit button, if we are going to get there we have to embrace the simple applications that can be contained to a device before we disperse features that get embedded into VMS manufacturer as a derivative niche that will come at a cost to enable.
Create New Topic
Undisclosed Integrator #9
Strategic Cisco accounts will never be sold at list price you'll see 70% off these prices For deals that's Cisco wants to get in with for something more strategic and proprietary.
Create New Topic
Michael Miller
Found a couple videos on how the interface works:
Create New Topic
Undisclosed
Cisco, where $40k for a network switch that otherwise would cost under $3k is somehow sensible. Sure, jack up the camera prices, who will notice? And as all Cisco folks will tell you the Internet is ubiquitous and infinitely reliable so what's yer problem with it all being in the cloud and requiring net access to view video? And what's with this dinky Cisco division buying a SIA membership?
Next up: Tesla cameras. $8k but comes with a solar battery good for 30 days in the dark?
Create New Topic
Undisclosed End User #10
We will see if Cisco has the free giveway of these to I.T. industry people, I have their, Merkai switch, firewall for free for just watching a webinar. If they add this to the lineup I will get my greedy hands on one, and do a hands on review. I would never buy one but I would take a free one. I think they will sell a lot of these at this price point, we are all laughing, but these will sell to IT departments. There are a lot if places where the IT department is in charge of cameras, and an all Cisco shop will just scoop these up and not bat an eye at the price. After all IT departments have big budgets , and spending $100,000's of dollars on equipment is normal for them.
Create New Topic
Oleksiy Zayonchkovskyy
Guys, I don't know exactly how Cisco sell in US, but in CIS MSRP is a partner price list nobody uses, even customers know the partner prices and use them to demand discounts. I was doing several projects (not groundbreaking or super value to Cisco) without gold partnership with Cisco. My client just demanded 60% discount on hardware, I've translated the demand of 70% (cause I want to resell and not just give) and Cisco said OK.
As for the Cisco security - yes their market shortens and this is obvious it is not good to buy all security stuff from one brand.
Create New Topic
Ross Vander Klok
Has anyone done any installs or business with these cameras? The IT department has roped me into a webinar with them and I want to know how much I should be paying attention....
Create New Topic
Michael Miller
Looks like Meraki is going to update their cameras:
Create New Topic
Undisclosed End User #11
I did a review for my IT Counterparts in Nov 2017 who were asked to share their feedback at Meraki User Forum. I state these are MY OPINONS and do not reflect those of my employer.
Meraki Video Surveillance Comments
IP Camera/Edge Recording Platform
Data Integrations
Pros
Create New Topic