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Cisco
Cisco networking solutions in Cairo and Egypt
Catalyst switching, Meraki cloud-managed networks, Wi-Fi and security from the world’s leading networking brand, designed, installed and supported by our engineers.
About Cisco
What is Cisco?
Cisco Systems is one of the world’s largest networking companies, best known for the switches, routers, firewalls and wireless equipment that run many enterprise networks. Its main business networking families include Catalyst switches and wireless for traditional on-premise networks, Meraki for cloud-managed networks, and security products including firewalls and secure access. Cisco equipment is widely used across Egypt in government, finance, education, hospitality and enterprise.
What ITZone does with Cisco
Design
Choosing between Catalyst and Meraki, sizing and licensing
Supply and installation
Switches, access points, routers and firewalls
Upgrades and refresh
Replacing end-of-support Cisco equipment
Monitoring and management
24/7 monitoring and firmware updates
Support
Troubleshooting, configuration changes and vendor support cases
Cisco products we work with
Catalyst switches
Enterprise access and core switching for offices and campuses
Meraki MS switches
Cloud-managed switches controlled from a web dashboard
Meraki MR / Catalyst Wi-Fi
Business Wi-Fi with central management
Meraki MX security appliances
Firewall, SD-WAN and VPN in one cloud-managed device
Routers
Branch and internet routing
Meraki MV cameras
Cloud-managed security cameras with built-in storage
What is Cisco Meraki?
Cisco Meraki is Cisco’s cloud-managed networking range. Instead of configuring each switch, access point and firewall individually, everything is managed from one web dashboard. You can see every device, user and application across all your sites, push changes everywhere at once, and receive alerts automatically. Meraki is especially popular with multi-site businesses such as retail chains, clinics, schools and offices with branches, because new sites can be set up quickly and managed centrally without on-site engineers. Meraki uses a licence model: each device needs an active licence for dashboard management, typically purchased for one, three, five, seven or ten years.
Cisco Catalyst or Meraki: which is right for you?
| Catalyst | Meraki | |
|---|---|---|
| Management | Command line and on-premise tools (plus cloud options) | Cloud dashboard |
| Best for | Large campuses, complex networks, in-house network teams | Multi-site businesses, lean IT teams |
| Licensing | Device purchase plus optional subscriptions | Device plus required licence term |
| Setup speed | Slower, more flexible | Fast, simpler |
| Our view | Choose for complex or very large networks | Choose for simplicity and many sites |
How we design your Cisco network
Every Cisco project starts with how your business uses the network. We count users and devices, map locations, check which applications are critical, and plan for growth. Then we choose the right families and models, size switches for ports and power for access points and phones, design VLANs and security policies, and plan redundancy where downtime would be costly. Licensing is planned at the same time, so there are no surprises later. Before ordering, you receive a design summary and a bill of materials with a clear five-year cost.
Cisco and security
Cisco networking integrates with Cisco’s security portfolio, including firewalls, secure access, DNS-layer protection and identity services. For businesses that want a single vendor, this simplifies management and support. For others, we often pair Cisco switching and Wi-Fi with a Fortinet firewall. Either way, we design the network so that security policies, segmentation and monitoring work together.
Cisco certifications explained
Cisco certifies engineers at several levels. CCNA is the associate level, covering networking fundamentals and configuration. CCNP is the professional level, covering advanced enterprise networking. CCIE is the expert level. Ask any provider which certifications the engineers working on your network hold.
Cisco for different sites
Offices
Catalyst or Meraki switching with Wi-Fi for staff and guests.
Retail and branches
Meraki MX and MR for fast, centrally managed rollouts.
Warehouses
Rugged switches and outdoor access points for scanners and yards.
Schools and campuses
High-density Wi-Fi and segmented networks for staff, students and devices.
Is Cisco right for you?
Good fit if…
- Reliability and long-term support matter most
- You have several sites to manage centrally
- You need advanced features or integration with Cisco security
Not ideal if…
- You’re a very small office with a tight budget
- You don’t want ongoing licence costs (Meraki)
- Your team is standardised on another vendor
If Cisco isn’t the best fit, we’ll suggest alternatives such as Fortinet, Aruba or Ubiquiti. See Network Solutions
Implementation timeline
-
1 week
Survey and design
-
1–4 weeks depending on stock
Order and delivery
-
Days to 2 weeks
Installation and configuration
-
1–2 days
Testing and handover
Not sure what you need?
We’ll audit your IT for free and tell you.
Cisco lifecycle and end of support
Every Cisco product has published end-of-sale and end-of-support dates. After end of support, devices stop receiving security updates. We check the lifecycle status of your existing Cisco equipment and plan replacements before support ends, so you aren’t running critical infrastructure on unsupported hardware.
Support after installation
Cisco networks are designed to run for many years, but they still need care. Our support covers firmware and software updates, configuration changes as your business changes, troubleshooting, and opening and managing support cases with Cisco on your behalf when hardware fails under warranty or a licence issue arises. Combined with our 24/7 network monitoring, problems are usually spotted and fixed before your team notices. You keep full admin access and all configurations are backed up and documented.
Migrating from older Cisco equipment
Many Egyptian businesses run Cisco switches and routers bought eight or ten years ago that are now past end of support. We plan migrations carefully: documenting the old configuration, translating it to the new platform, staging the new equipment, and cutting over out of hours with a rollback plan. Where it makes sense, we use the refresh to simplify the network, for example by moving branches to Meraki.
How we plan licences and renewals
Licensing is part of every Cisco design. We record every licence and support contract against its device in your asset register, align renewal dates where possible so you deal with one renewal instead of many, and remind you well before anything expires. This prevents dashboard lockouts on Meraki and lapses in hardware support on Catalyst equipment.
Case study
A retail group with stores in Cairo and Alexandria moved to Cisco Meraki switches, Wi-Fi and MX security appliances. New stores are now connected quickly, and head office manages all sites from one dashboard.
Compare and related
Network Solutions
Firewalls, switches, VLANs, VPNs and internet failover, designed and installed.
Wi-Fi Solutions
Business Wi-Fi designed from a site survey, with separate guest access.
Fortinet
FortiGate firewalls and Fortinet security, managed for you.
Cisco questions, answered
What is Cisco?
Cisco Systems is a global networking company that makes switches, routers, Wi-Fi, firewalls and collaboration products used by businesses and governments worldwide.
What is Cisco Meraki?
Cisco’s cloud-managed networking range: switches, Wi-Fi, firewalls and cameras managed from a single web dashboard.
Do Meraki devices need a licence?
Yes. Each Meraki device needs an active licence for dashboard management and support. We help you choose the right term.
Can you support Cisco equipment installed by someone else?
Yes. We audit the configuration, check lifecycle status and take over support.
Is Cisco worth it for a small business?
For small offices with growth plans or several locations, Meraki often is, because it is simple to manage. For a single small office on a tight budget, we may suggest a simpler option.
Do you supply genuine Cisco equipment?
Yes, through authorised distribution in Egypt, so warranties and support are valid.
Can Meraki work with our existing non-Cisco equipment?
Yes. Meraki devices can be introduced gradually alongside other brands, though you get the most benefit from central management when most of the network is on Meraki.
What happens if a Meraki licence expires?
Devices stop being manageable from the dashboard and may stop passing traffic after a grace period, so we track renewal dates and remind you well in advance.
Do you offer Cisco training for our IT staff?
We provide handover training on your specific network and the Meraki dashboard, so your in-house team can manage day-to-day tasks confidently.
How long does Cisco equipment last?
Typically seven years or more in service, but plan around Cisco’s published end-of-support dates rather than age alone.