New Training: Secure and Monitor Cisco Meraki Switches

In this 6-video skill, CBT Nuggets trainer Knox Hutchinson teaches you how to implement Cisco Meraki security features like access-control lists (ACLs) and schedules. Learn how to deploy Layer 2, Layer 3, and Layer 4 ACLs on your switches, how to secure your switchports by deploying port schedules, and how to monitor and troubleshoot your switching environment. Watch this new Cisco training.

Watch the full course: Cisco Meraki Networks

This training includes:

• 6 videos

• 18 minutes of training

You’ll learn these topics in this skill:

• Securing Switches from the Cloud

• Access Control Lists

• Port Schedules

• Access Policies

• Monitoring and Tooling

• Summarizing Cisco Meraki Switch Security

What is an Access-Control List (ACL)?

An Access-Control List (ACL) is a list of rules that you can use to filter network traffic on devices that have filtering capabilities. These rules categorize packets, so that you can decide whether to allow or deny them. A standard ACL only lets you assess a packet's source IP address, while an extended ACL lets you access both the source and the destination address. The latter are more difficult to configure and more CPU intensive, but they can give you far more granular control over your traffic.

An ACL can provide better security for your network, by making it less vulnerable to dangerous and unwanted traffic. Often, you configure an ACL on an edge router facing the public Internet, as this can create a buffer between it and your private network.

It should be noted that you can use ACLs for purposes other than packet filtering, such as for network address translation (NAT) and for making quality of service (QoS) determinations.