Connect. Secure. Manage.
Cisco Access Manager
Evaluate cloud-managed network authentication through Cisco Access Manager in the Meraki dashboard, with identity, device and policy requirements checked first.
Devices supported
across the UK
Client locations
supported
Traffic handled
at peak time
Average
response time
Average response is not a resolution time or a contractual guarantee. Support scope and response commitments are agreed for each engagement.
Cisco Access Manager brings network-access policy into the Meraki dashboard for supported wireless and switching environments. It can reduce the need to operate a separate authentication platform for suitable use cases, but the surrounding identity, certificate and endpoint work still matters. MCI Network Services helps organisations decide whether Access Manager fits their estate, then designs and implements the access rules and operating procedures needed for a controlled deployment.
Defined trust
Make access boundaries explicit rather than relying on an assumed internal network.
Controlled access
Connect identity, policy and network enforcement to the services people actually use.
Evidence for change
Test the intended security outcome and retain useful operational records.
Assess the requirement before choosing the platform
The starting point is the population that needs access: managed laptops, visitors, phones, printers and other connected equipment. We identify which devices can use certificates, which depend on another supported method and what access each group should receive. A cloud-managed interface does not remove the need for an explicit policy.
We also review the existing network and authentication service. Access Manager should not be treated as an automatic replacement for every Cisco ISE or third-party RADIUS deployment. Administrative authentication, posture requirements, unusual integrations and unsupported equipment may change the choice. The assessment records what the proposed service will cover and what must remain with another system.
Standards & partnerships
Confidence in the team behind your network.
Cisco Partner
Cisco Meraki
Cyber Essentials
Cyber Essentials PlusMCI Network Services is operated by Proxar Ltd. Certifications apply to the certified legal entity and the scope of its certificates. View accreditation information
Check the supported estate and entitlement
We verify the actual Meraki or eligible cloud-configured Cisco devices, software, organisation settings and licences. Wireless and wired workflows are considered separately, including the authorisation options the enforcement devices can apply. A supported identity decision is only useful if the access point or switch can implement the intended restriction.
Platform documentation and release information are checked for the deployment being proposed. We do not assume that a capability shown in a demonstration is available for every model or organisation. Dependencies and limitations are included in the scope so that procurement and engineering teams are working from the same requirements.
A useful starting point
Not sure where to start?
Bring the requirement. We will help you define the engineering work.
Choose identity methods deliberately
Certificate-based access can suit managed endpoints, while supported alternatives may be needed for visitors or equipment without an enterprise supplicant. We distinguish the strength of those methods and the operational work behind them. A MAC-address match, for example, should not be described as equivalent to a device proving possession of an approved private key.
Where Microsoft Entra ID supplies user context, we establish the exact lookup and authentication flow. Network authentication is not the same as an interactive browser login, and a group lookup does not prove that every Conditional Access or MFA requirement has been applied. The design identifies the controls actually exercised by the selected method and any separate endpoint-management dependency.
Different environments. The same care.
Built around the work
your network supports.
Finance, banking and the wider private sector. We start with the systems and people that depend on your connections.
Finance & banking
Market-data paths, routing and provider coordination on clients’ behalf.
Financial-market services ↗Offices & multi-site teams
Reliable access between people, workplaces and business applications.
Office network design ↗Data centres & cloud
Network boundaries, workload connections and operational ownership.
Data centre networks ↗Build access rules around permitted services
We translate business roles into a readable rule set, including the treatment of unknown endpoints and missing attributes. Rule order and default behaviour matter. A later rule should not inadvertently allow a connection simply because an external lookup was unavailable or an earlier condition could not be evaluated.
The resulting policy is tested at the network boundary. We check the assigned VLAN, group or other supported result and verify the services the client can actually reach. An access rule that looks correct in the dashboard is not accepted as proof that routing, addressing and firewall controls are aligned with it.
Introduce the service through a representative pilot
A useful pilot includes different endpoint types and realistic account states. We test a legitimate user, a device that should be restricted and a credential that must be refused. We also examine reconnection, expiry and changes to group membership so that the operating team sees more than the ideal first-login sequence.
The rollout plan preserves an approved recovery path without leaving an unrestricted permanent bypass. Existing authentication is retired only after the new workflow has been validated for the intended population. Our Access Manager migration services address that transition in detail, including the treatment of endpoint profiles and temporary exceptions.
Make cloud dependencies and support visible
The customer needs to understand what happens when an internet path or identity dependency is unavailable. We agree the supported behaviour for new and established sessions and test appropriate scenarios. Cloud service availability, site connectivity and local enforcement are separate parts of the service, each with its own incident owner.
Administrative roles, logging and evidence handling are also part of handover. The team should know who may alter access rules, how to investigate a denied session and when to escalate a platform issue. The presence of an integrated dashboard does not remove the need for change approval or a record of why an exception exists.
Engage MCI for a defined outcome
MCI can assess suitability, deliver a pilot, implement policy or investigate an existing Access Manager deployment. Our Cisco and Meraki network services cover the UK, with a particular focus on London and surrounding counties. The proposal defines the supported access methods, customer responsibilities and acceptance evidence rather than promising universal compatibility or a complete zero-trust outcome from one product.
Technical references
- Cisco ISE support, compatibility and upgrade documentation — Cisco / Cisco Meraki
- Cisco ISE overview — Cisco / Cisco Meraki
Talk to a specialist
What does your network need next?
Tell us what you are planning, changing or trying to improve. We will help define a practical next step and the engineering scope.
+44 203 196 6566Choose option 1
sales@proxar.co.ukUK-wide service.
Most of our engineers are based in Kent, with a focus on London, Sussex, Essex and Berkshire.
Existing customers should use their agreed support and escalation channels. This form is for service enquiries, not a monitored emergency ticket.
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