Documentation forNetFlow Traffic Analyzer
Analyzing network traffic and bandwidth is a key capability of SolarWinds Observability Self-Hosted (formerly Hybrid Cloud Observability) and is available in the Advanced edition. NetFlow Traffic Analyzer (NTA) is also available in a standalone module.

Process flow data from Meraki devices in NTA

You can view flow data from Cisco Meraki MX devices. The data are associated with SNMP-managed interfaces from NPM. Certain devices use different Interface IDs when polled by SNMP and different Interface IDs in NetFlow. Due to this discrepancy, traffic cannot be correctly bound to the interface. This issue is solved by mapping between Flow Interface ID and SNMP Interface ID.

  • You must have Meraki firmware version MX 14.7 or later to get the correct bytes values. SolarWinds NTA supports flow processing for earlier versions and it will not block outdated firmware, but NTA will display incorrect traffic volumes for the bytes counter.
  • You must have Meraki firmware version 15.13 or later to get correct packet values. Earlier versions of Meraki MX show an incorrect packet number, as the counter is not providing increments but total values with each flow.
  • For Huawei and Alcatel devices, the flow must be processed on the same polling engine where SNMP data are polled.
  • After changing the polling engine, mapping is generated for the new polling engine but kept on the old one. The mapping for the node is removed from all polling engines on cleanup (by default, every 60 minutes) when you disable the node through NetFlow Sources.
  • Starting with Meraki MX 15.14 or later, the interface mapping is corrected and the feature will be disabled automatically on the NTA side, or you can disable it manually through NTA Settings.

To start monitoring data from Cisco Meraki MX devices, you must add the device to SolarWinds NPM and configure it to export flows to the Main or Additional Polling Engine. The mapping is generated automatically when NTA receives the first flow traffic from the relevant Meraki device. Mapping is kept in the SolarWinds Platform database in separate tables for each polling engine. Mapping is valid until you manage the node, enable flow processing, and the NetFlow Service receives flow data.

Enable or disable the Meraki MX mapping feature

You can enable the Meraki mapping feature through NTA Settings in the SolarWinds Platform Web Console. If you are monitoring devices running Meraki firmware version MX 15.14 or later, you can disable the mapping feature completely.

  1. In the SolarWinds Platform Web Console, click Settings > All Settings.
  2. Under Product Specific Settings, click NTA Settings.
  3. Under NetFlow Management, select Process flow data from Meraki MX 15.13 and earlier to enable the feature, and clear the option to disable it.
    • SolarWinds NTA uses autodetection per device for new Meraki firmware. Processing therefore works correctly with Meraki firmware 15.14 or later and this option enabled.
    • If you disable this option through NTA Settings, the changes are global for all devices.
    • If you have devices with Meraki firmware MX 15.13 or later, you see data on the wrong intefaces.