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the_information_nexus/work/tbx/meraki/meraki_api.md
Whisker Jones aab8d90e11 added meraki
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Cisco Meraki organizes its networks and devices in a hierarchical structure that provides a clear and scalable way to manage and monitor your network infrastructure. Understanding this hierarchy is essential for effectively using the Meraki Dashboard and API. Here’s a breakdown of the hierarchy:

Meraki Hierarchy

  1. Organizations
  2. Networks
  3. Devices
  4. Clients

1. Organizations

Organizations are the top-level entities in the Meraki ecosystem. An organization can represent a company, a business unit, or a large geographical area. Each organization can contain multiple networks.

  • Key Attributes:
    • id: Unique identifier for the organization.
    • name: Name of the organization.

Example API Request:

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations" | jq .

2. Networks

Networks are collections of devices and configurations that work together to provide network services. Networks can be configured for different purposes such as office locations, retail stores, or different sites within a campus.

  • Key Attributes:
    • id: Unique identifier for the network.
    • organizationId: ID of the organization to which the network belongs.
    • name: Name of the network.
    • type: Type of network (e.g., wireless, switch, appliance, combined).

Example API Request:

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/ORGANIZATION_ID/networks" | jq .

3. Devices

Devices are the individual hardware units that make up a network. This includes wireless access points, switches, security appliances, cameras, and other Meraki devices.

  • Key Attributes:
    • serial: Unique serial number of the device.
    • networkId: ID of the network to which the device belongs.
    • model: Model of the device (e.g., MX64, MR33).
    • name: Name of the device.
    • mac: MAC address of the device.

Example API Request:

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/networks/NETWORK_ID/devices" | jq .

4. Clients

Clients are the end devices that connect to the Meraki network. This can include computers, smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices.

  • Key Attributes:
    • id: Unique identifier for the client.
    • description: Description of the client.
    • mac: MAC address of the client.
    • ip: IP address assigned to the client.
    • usage: Data usage statistics for the client.

Example API Request:

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/networks/NETWORK_ID/clients" | jq .

Practical Usage Example

Here’s how you can traverse this hierarchy using the Meraki Dashboard API:

Step 1: List Organizations

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations" | jq .

Step 2: List Networks in an Organization

Replace ORGANIZATION_ID with the actual ID of your organization.

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/ORGANIZATION_ID/networks" | jq .

Step 3: List Devices in a Network

Replace NETWORK_ID with the actual ID of your network.

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/networks/NETWORK_ID/devices" | jq .

Step 4: List Clients in a Network

Replace NETWORK_ID with the actual ID of your network.

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/networks/NETWORK_ID/clients" | jq .

Conclusion

Understanding the hierarchy used by Meraki to organize networks and devices is crucial for effective network management and monitoring. The Meraki Dashboard API provides a powerful way to programmatically interact with your network infrastructure, allowing you to automate tasks, gather data, and perform complex queries.

By practicing with the Meraki Dashboard API and using jq to parse and manipulate the JSON data, you can gain deeper insights into your network and improve your overall management capabilities. If you have any further questions or need additional examples, feel free to ask!

Great! Let's explore some freely available JSON data sources on the web that you can use to practice jq, and then we can touch on how to use the Meraki Dashboard API.

Free JSON Data Sources

1. JSONPlaceholder

JSONPlaceholder is a free online REST API that you can use for testing and prototyping.

API Endpoint: https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/

Example: Fetch a list of users

curl -s https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users | jq .

2. OpenWeatherMap

OpenWeatherMap provides weather data, and you can get a free API key for accessing their services.

API Endpoint: http://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=London&appid=YOUR_API_KEY

Example: Fetch current weather for London

curl -s "http://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=London&appid=YOUR_API_KEY" | jq .

3. The Dog API

The Dog API provides random images and information about dogs.

API Endpoint: https://dog.ceo/api/breeds/list/all

Example: Fetch a list of all dog breeds

curl -s https://dog.ceo/api/breeds/list/all | jq .

4. SpaceX API

The SpaceX API provides information about launches, rockets, and other SpaceX-related data.

API Endpoint: https://api.spacexdata.com/v4/launches/latest

Example: Fetch the latest SpaceX launch information

curl -s https://api.spacexdata.com/v4/launches/latest | jq .

Working with the Meraki Dashboard API

The Meraki Dashboard API provides programmatic access to Cisco Meraki's cloud-managed networking products. To use the Meraki API, you'll need an API key from your Meraki dashboard account.

Getting Started with the Meraki Dashboard API

  1. Get an API Key: Log in to the Meraki dashboard, navigate to your profile, and generate an API key.

  2. API Endpoint: The base URL for the Meraki API is https://api.meraki.com/api/v1.

  3. Example: Fetch a list of organizations

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations" | jq .

Example Usage of jq with the Meraki Dashboard API

Fetch a List of Networks in an Organization

  1. Get Organization ID:

    curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations" | jq .

  2. Fetch Networks in an Organization: Replace ORGANIZATION_ID with the actual organization ID obtained from the previous command.

    curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/ORGANIZATION_ID/networks" | jq .

Practical Exercises with the Meraki Dashboard API

1. List All Devices in a Network

Replace NETWORK_ID with the actual network ID.

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/networks/NETWORK_ID/devices" | jq .

2. Get Device Uplink Status

Replace SERIAL with the device serial number.

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/devices/SERIAL/uplinks" | jq .

Conclusion

Practicing with freely available JSON data from the web and exploring APIs like the Meraki Dashboard API provides a hands-on approach to learning how to work with jq. Use the examples provided to get started, and experiment with different queries and filters to deepen your understanding.

If you have any specific questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!

Sure! Let's review our conversation and integrate all the topics we've covered into a cohesive approach for working with the Meraki Dashboard API. Here's a step-by-step guide that incorporates the key points discussed, focusing on using curl and Python for interacting with the API, processing data, and automating tasks.

Comprehensive Guide to Working with the Meraki Dashboard API

1. Authorization and Setup

Before making any API calls, set up your environment by obtaining your Meraki API key and exporting it for use in curl commands.

Setting Up Authorization:

export MERAKI_API_KEY="your_api_key"

2. Making API Calls with curl

Find Your Organization ID:

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations" | jq .

Store the Response:

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations" > organizations.json

List Networks in an Organization:

Replace {organizationId} with your actual organization ID.

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/networks" | jq .

Store the Response:

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/networks" > networks.json

List Devices in an Organization:

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/devices" | jq .

Store the Response:

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/devices" > devices.json

3. Creating and Managing Action Batches

Create an Action Batch:

This example creates an action batch to update a switch port configuration. Replace {organizationId} with your organization ID.

curl -X POST https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/actionBatches \
-L \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY' \
-d '{
    "confirmed": true,
    "synchronous": true,
    "actions": [
        {
            "resource": "/devices/QXXX-XXXX-XXXX/switchPorts/3",
            "operation": "update",
            "body": {
                "enabled": true
            }
        }
    ]
}'

List All Action Batches:

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/actionBatches" | jq .

Get a Specific Action Batch:

Replace {id} with the actual action batch ID.

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/actionBatches/{id}" | jq .

Delete an Action Batch:

curl -X DELETE -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/actionBatches/{id}"

4. Automation and Scripting with curl

Automate repetitive tasks using shell scripts.

Automate Data Fetch:

#!/bin/bash
# Fetch Meraki data and save to files

API_KEY="your_api_key"
ORGANIZATION_ID="your_organization_id"
BASE_URL="https://api.meraki.com/api/v1"

# Fetch organizations
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" "$BASE_URL/organizations" > organizations.json
echo "Organizations data saved to organizations.json"

# Fetch networks
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" "$BASE_URL/organizations/$ORGANIZATION_ID/networks" > networks.json
echo "Networks data saved to networks.json"

# Fetch devices
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" "$BASE_URL/organizations/$ORGANIZATION_ID/devices" > devices.json
echo "Devices data saved to devices.json"

# Fetch uplinks for a specific device
DEVICE_SERIAL="your_device_serial"
curl -s "$BASE_URL/organizations/$ORGANIZATION_ID/devices/uplinks/addresses/byDevice?serials[]=$DEVICE_SERIAL" -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" > uplinks.json
echo "Uplinks data saved to uplinks.json"

5. Data Processing with Python

Use Python for more complex data processing and analysis.

Loading and Analyzing Data with Python:

import json

# Load organizations data
with open('organizations.json') as f:
    organizations = json.load(f)

# Load networks data
with open('networks.json') as f:
    networks = json.load(f)

# Load devices data
with open('devices.json') as f:
    devices = json.load(f)

# Load uplinks data
with open('uplinks.json') as f:
    uplinks = json.load(f)

# Example: Print organization names and IDs
for org in organizations:
    print(f"Organization ID: {org['id']}, Name: {org['name']}")

# Example: Find and print offline devices
offline_devices = [device for device in devices if device.get('status') != 'online']
print(f"Number of offline devices: {len(offline_devices)}")
for device in offline_devices:
    print(f"Offline Device: {device['name']} (Serial: {device['serial']})")

6. Monitoring and Alerts with curl

Set up monitoring and alerts using curl in conjunction with shell scripts.

Monitoring Device Status:

#!/bin/bash
# Monitor device status and alert if any device is offline

API_KEY="your_api_key"
ORGANIZATION_ID="your_organization_id"
BASE_URL="https://api.meraki.com/api/v1"
OUTPUT_FILE="device_status.json"

# Fetch devices
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" "$BASE_URL/organizations/$ORGANIZATION_ID/devices" > $OUTPUT_FILE

# Check device statuses
offline_devices=$(jq '.[] | select(.status != "online")' $OUTPUT_FILE)

if [ -n "$offline_devices" ]; then
  echo "ALERT: Some devices are offline!"
  echo "$offline_devices" | jq '.'
else
  echo "All devices are online."
fi

7. Data Analysis and Visualization with Python

Analyzing Device Data with pandas:

import pandas as pd
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

# Load data from file
df = pd.read_json('devices.json')

# Perform analysis
offline_devices = df[df['status'] != 'online']
print(f"Number of offline devices: {len(offline_devices)}")

# Visualize data
df['status'].value_counts().plot(kind='bar')
plt.title('Device Status Distribution')
plt.xlabel('Status')
plt.ylabel('Count')
plt.show()

Global Meraki Path Parameter IDs

Understanding the path parameters and their corresponding API operations helps in navigating the Meraki Dashboard API efficiently. Use the provided table to identify the necessary path parameters and the corresponding endpoints.

Conclusion

By following this comprehensive guide, you can efficiently interact with the Meraki Dashboard API, automate tasks, monitor network status, and gain insights from your Meraki network data. Using curl for API requests and Python for data processing allows you to create robust and scalable solutions for managing your Meraki infrastructure.

If you have any further questions or need additional examples, feel free to ask!

Efficient Workflow with the Meraki API Using curl and Python

Let's create an efficient workflow for interacting with the Meraki API, primarily using curl and then supplementing with Python where necessary. This approach will focus on fetching, storing, processing, and automating tasks with curl, and using Python for more complex data manipulation and analysis.

1. Authorization and Setup

Set up your environment with your Meraki API key.

Example: Setting Up Authorization

export MERAKI_API_KEY="your_api_key"

2. Making API Calls with curl

Find Your Organization ID

Request:

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations" | jq .

Store the Response:

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations" > organizations.json

List Networks in an Organization

Replace {organizationId} with your actual organization ID.

Request:

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/networks" | jq .

Store the Response:

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/networks" > networks.json

List Devices in an Organization

Request:

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/devices" | jq .

Store the Response:

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/devices" > devices.json

Get Device Uplink Addresses

Request for One Device:

Replace {serial} with the actual device serial number.

curl -s "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/devices/uplinks/addresses/byDevice?serials[]={serial}" -H 'Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY' | jq .

Store the Response:

curl -s "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/devices/uplinks/addresses/byDevice?serials[]={serial}" -H 'Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY' > uplinks.json

3. Automation and Scripting with curl

Automate repetitive tasks using shell scripts.

Example: Automating Data Fetch

#!/bin/bash
# Fetch Meraki data and save to files

API_KEY="your_api_key"
ORGANIZATION_ID="your_organization_id"
BASE_URL="https://api.meraki.com/api/v1"

# Fetch organizations
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" "$BASE_URL/organizations" > organizations.json
echo "Organizations data saved to organizations.json"

# Fetch networks
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" "$BASE_URL/organizations/$ORGANIZATION_ID/networks" > networks.json
echo "Networks data saved to networks.json"

# Fetch devices
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" "$BASE_URL/organizations/$ORGANIZATION_ID/devices" > devices.json
echo "Devices data saved to devices.json"

# Fetch uplinks for a specific device
DEVICE_SERIAL="your_device_serial"
curl -s "$BASE_URL/organizations/$ORGANIZATION_ID/devices/uplinks/addresses/byDevice?serials[]=$DEVICE_SERIAL" -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" > uplinks.json
echo "Uplinks data saved to uplinks.json"

4. Data Processing with Python

Use Python for more complex data processing and analysis.

Example: Loading and Analyzing Data with Python

import json

# Load organizations data
with open('organizations.json') as f:
    organizations = json.load(f)

# Load networks data
with open('networks.json') as f:
    networks = json.load(f)

# Load devices data
with open('devices.json') as f:
    devices = json.load(f)

# Load uplinks data
with open('uplinks.json') as f:
    uplinks = json.load(f)

# Example: Print organization names and IDs
for org in organizations:
    print(f"Organization ID: {org['id']}, Name: {org['name']}")

# Example: Find and print offline devices
offline_devices = [device for device in devices if device.get('status') != 'online']
print(f"Number of offline devices: {len(offline_devices)}")
for device in offline_devices:
    print(f"Offline Device: {device['name']} (Serial: {device['serial']})")

5. Monitoring and Alerts with curl

Use curl in conjunction with shell scripts to set up monitoring and alerts.

Example: Monitoring Device Status

#!/bin/bash
# Monitor device status and alert if any device is offline

API_KEY="your_api_key"
ORGANIZATION_ID="your_organization_id"
BASE_URL="https://api.meraki.com/api/v1"
OUTPUT_FILE="device_status.json"

# Fetch devices
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" "$BASE_URL/organizations/$ORGANIZATION_ID/devices" > $OUTPUT_FILE

# Check device statuses
offline_devices=$(jq '.[] | select(.status != "online")' $OUTPUT_FILE)

if [ -n "$offline_devices" ]; then
  echo "ALERT: Some devices are offline!"
  echo "$offline_devices" | jq '.'
else
  echo "All devices are online."
fi

6. Data Analysis and Visualization with Python

Example: Analyzing Device Data with pandas

import pandas as pd
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

# Load data from file
df = pd.read_json('devices.json')

# Perform analysis
offline_devices = df[df['status'] != 'online']
print(f"Number of offline devices: {len(offline_devices)}")

# Visualize data
df['status'].value_counts().plot(kind='bar')
plt.title('Device Status Distribution')
plt.xlabel('Status')
plt.ylabel('Count')
plt.show()

Conclusion

Using curl for making API calls and shell scripting for automation allows for efficient interaction with the Meraki API. Python serves as a powerful tool for more complex data processing, analysis, and visualization tasks. By integrating these tools into your workflow, you can automate tasks, monitor network status, and gain insights from your Meraki network data.

Interacting with APIs, including the Meraki Dashboard API, typically involves a series of steps to automate tasks, gather data, and make data-driven decisions. Since API calls can be ephemeral, it's important to think about how to efficiently use the returned JSON payloads. Here’s a structured approach to interacting with the Meraki API and working with the JSON data it returns.

Typical Workflow for Interacting with the Meraki API

  1. Authorization and Setup
  2. Making API Calls
  3. Storing and Processing Data
  4. Automation and Scripting
  5. Monitoring and Alerts
  6. Data Analysis and Visualization

1. Authorization and Setup

Before making any API calls, you need to set up your environment, including obtaining an API key and setting up any required tools (like Postman, Python libraries, or shell scripts).

Example: Setting Up Authorization

export MERAKI_API_KEY="your_api_key"

2. Making API Calls

Use tools like curl, Postman, or a programming language (e.g., Python) to make API calls. These calls fetch data from Meraki's servers.

Example: Fetching Organizations

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations" | jq .

3. Storing and Processing Data

API responses can be stored in databases or files for further processing. Storing data locally allows for repeated analysis without re-fetching data.

Example: Saving API Response to a File

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MERAKI_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations" > organizations.json

Example: Loading and Processing Data with Python

import json

with open('organizations.json') as f:
    data = json.load(f)

# Process the data
for org in data:
    print(f"Organization ID: {org['id']}, Name: {org['name']}")

4. Automation and Scripting

Automate repetitive tasks using scripts. This can include fetching data periodically, updating configurations, or processing logs.

Example: Automating Data Fetch with a Shell Script

#!/bin/bash
# Script to fetch Meraki organizations and save to a file

API_KEY="your_api_key"
API_URL="https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations"
OUTPUT_FILE="organizations.json"

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" $API_URL > $OUTPUT_FILE
echo "Data saved to $OUTPUT_FILE"

Example: Scheduling Script with Cron

# Edit crontab to run the script daily at midnight
crontab -e

# Add the following line
0 0 * * * /path/to/your/script.sh

5. Monitoring and Alerts

Set up monitoring to watch for specific conditions or thresholds. This can include network performance, device status, or security events. Use tools like Nagios, Zabbix, or even custom scripts.

Example: Monitoring Device Status with Python

import requests

API_KEY = 'your_api_key'
ORGANIZATION_ID = 'your_organization_id'
HEADERS = {
    'Authorization': f'Bearer {API_KEY}'
}

# Fetch device status
response = requests.get(f'https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{ORGANIZATION_ID}/devices', headers=HEADERS)
devices = response.json()

# Check device statuses
for device in devices:
    if device['status'] != 'online':
        print(f"Device {device['name']} is offline!")

6. Data Analysis and Visualization

Analyze the data to gain insights and make informed decisions. Use tools like Jupyter Notebooks, pandas, or visualization libraries like Matplotlib or Tableau.

Example: Analyzing Device Data with pandas

import pandas as pd

# Load data from file
df = pd.read_json('devices.json')

# Perform analysis
offline_devices = df[df['status'] != 'online']
print(f"Number of offline devices: {len(offline_devices)}")

# Visualize data
df['status'].value_counts().plot(kind='bar')
plt.show()

Efficient Use of API Responses

  • Caching: Store API responses locally to avoid repeated API calls. Use databases like SQLite, MongoDB, or even simple JSON files for small-scale caching.
  • Batch Processing: Process data in batches to minimize the number of API calls. Fetch larger datasets and process them locally.
  • Rate Limiting: Respect API rate limits to avoid being throttled. Implement retry logic and backoff strategies.
  • Incremental Updates: Fetch only updated data instead of the entire dataset to reduce the load and increase efficiency.

Practical Examples

Example: Fetching and Storing Network Data

Shell Script:

#!/bin/bash
# Fetch networks for an organization and store in a file

API_KEY="your_api_key"
ORGANIZATION_ID="your_organization_id"
API_URL="https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/$ORGANIZATION_ID/networks"
OUTPUT_FILE="networks.json"

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" $API_URL > $OUTPUT_FILE
echo "Network data saved to $OUTPUT_FILE"

Python Script:

import requests
import json

API_KEY = 'your_api_key'
ORGANIZATION_ID = 'your_organization_id'
HEADERS = {
    'Authorization': f'Bearer {API_KEY}'
}

# Fetch networks
response = requests.get(f'https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{ORGANIZATION_ID}/networks', headers=HEADERS)
networks = response.json()

# Save to file
with open('networks.json', 'w') as f:
    json.dump(networks, f, indent=4)

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can efficiently interact with the Meraki Dashboard API, store and process data, automate tasks, monitor network status, and analyze the data to make informed decisions. The key is to leverage the API for automation, efficient data handling, and actionable insights. If you have further questions or need more specific examples, feel free to ask!

Cisco Meraki organizes its networks and devices in a hierarchical structure that provides a clear and scalable way to manage and monitor your network infrastructure. Understanding this hierarchy is essential for effectively using the Meraki Dashboard and API. Here’s a breakdown of the hierarchy:

Meraki Hierarchy

  1. Organizations
  2. Networks
  3. Devices
  4. Clients

1. Organizations

Organizations are the top-level entities in the Meraki ecosystem. An organization can represent a company, a business unit, or a large geographical area. Each organization can contain multiple networks.

  • Key Attributes:
    • id: Unique identifier for the organization.
    • name: Name of the organization.

Example API Request:

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations" | jq .

2. Networks

Networks are collections of devices and configurations that work together to provide network services. Networks can be configured for different purposes such as office locations, retail stores, or different sites within a campus.

  • Key Attributes:
    • id: Unique identifier for the network.
    • organizationId: ID of the organization to which the network belongs.
    • name: Name of the network.
    • type: Type of network (e.g., wireless, switch, appliance, combined).

Example API Request:

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/ORGANIZATION_ID/networks" | jq .

3. Devices

Devices are the individual hardware units that make up a network. This includes wireless access points, switches, security appliances, cameras, and other Meraki devices.

  • Key Attributes:
    • serial: Unique serial number of the device.
    • networkId: ID of the network to which the device belongs.
    • model: Model of the device (e.g., MX64, MR33).
    • name: Name of the device.
    • mac: MAC address of the device.

Example API Request:

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/networks/NETWORK_ID/devices" | jq .

4. Clients

Clients are the end devices that connect to the Meraki network. This can include computers, smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices.

  • Key Attributes:
    • id: Unique identifier for the client.
    • description: Description of the client.
    • mac: MAC address of the client.
    • ip: IP address assigned to the client.
    • usage: Data usage statistics for the client.

Example API Request:

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/networks/NETWORK_ID/clients" | jq .

Practical Usage Example

Here’s how you can traverse this hierarchy using the Meraki Dashboard API:

Step 1: List Organizations

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations" | jq .

Step 2: List Networks in an Organization

Replace ORGANIZATION_ID with the actual ID of your organization.

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/ORGANIZATION_ID/networks" | jq .

Step 3: List Devices in a Network

Replace NETWORK_ID with the actual ID of your network.

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/networks/NETWORK_ID/devices" | jq .

Step 4: List Clients in a Network

Replace NETWORK_ID with the actual ID of your network.

curl -s -H "X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/networks/NETWORK_ID/clients" | jq .

Conclusion

Understanding the hierarchy used by Meraki to organize networks and devices is crucial for effective network management and monitoring. The Meraki Dashboard API provides a powerful way to programmatically interact with your network infrastructure, allowing you to automate tasks, gather data, and perform complex queries.

By practicing with the Meraki Dashboard API and using jq to parse and manipulate the JSON data, you can gain deeper insights into your network and improve your overall management capabilities. If you have any further questions or need additional examples, feel free to ask!

Understanding the Meraki Dashboard API

The Meraki Dashboard API is designed to enable programmatic management and monitoring of Cisco Meraki networks. It allows you to automate tasks, gather data, and create custom solutions for network administration. This guide will walk you through the basics of using the Meraki Dashboard API, including finding organization IDs, network IDs, and device information, as well as retrieving device uplink addresses.

Getting Started with the Meraki Dashboard API

Tools

  • Postman Collection: A graphical tool to explore and interact with the Meraki API.
  • Python Library: The Meraki Python library can be installed via pip install meraki for scripting API interactions.

Base URI

The base URI for API requests is typically:

https://api.meraki.com/api/v1

For specific regions, use the respective URIs:

Country URI
Canada https://api.meraki.ca/api/v1
China https://api.meraki.cn/api/v1
India https://api.meraki.in/api/v1
United States FedRAMP https://api.gov-meraki.com/api/v1

Authorization

The API requires a bearer token for authorization. Include the following header in your requests:

{
  "Authorization": "Bearer <Meraki_API_Key>"
}

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Find Your Organization ID

The first step is to retrieve the organization ID associated with your API key. This ID is required for most API requests.

Request:

curl https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations \
  -L -H 'Authorization: Bearer {MERAKI-API-KEY}'

Response:

[
  {
    "id": "549236",
    "name":"DevNet Sandbox"
  }
]

2. Find Your Network ID

With the organization ID, you can list all networks within the organization.

Request:

curl https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/networks \
  -L -H 'Authorization: Bearer {MERAKI-API-KEY}'

Response:

[
  {
    "id":"N_1234",
    "organizationId":"12345678",
    "type": "wireless",
    "name":"My network",
    "timeZone": "US/Pacific",
    "tags": null
  }
]

3. Find Your Devices and Their Serials

Use the organization ID to list all devices within the organization.

Request:

curl https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/devices \
  -L -H 'Authorization: Bearer {MERAKI-API-KEY}'

Response:

[
    {
        "name": "My AP",
        "lat": 37.4180951010362,
        "lng": -122.098531723022,
        "address": "1600 Pennsylvania Ave",
        "notes": "My AP note",
        "tags": [ "recently-added" ],
        "networkId": "N_24329156",
        "serial": "Q234-ABCD-5678",
        "model": "MR34",
        "mac": "00:11:22:33:44:55",
        "lanIp": "1.2.3.4",
        "firmware": "wireless-25-14",
        "productType": "wireless"
    }
]

4. Get Devices Uplink Addresses

Retrieve the uplink addresses for specific devices using their serial numbers.

Request for One Device:

curl "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/devices/uplinks/addresses/byDevice?serials[]={serial}" \
  -L -H 'Authorization: Bearer {MERAKI-API-KEY}'

Response for One Device:

[
 {
  "mac": "00:11:22:33:44:55",
  "name": "My Switch 1",
  "network": {
   "id": "L_24329156"
  },
  "productType": "switch",
  "serial": "{serial}",
  "tags": [
   "example",
   "switch"
  ],
  "uplinks": [
   {
    "interface": "man1",
    "addresses": [
     {
      "protocol": "ipv4",
      "address": "10.0.1.2",
      "gateway": "10.0.1.1",
      "assignmentMode": "dynamic",
      "nameservers": {
       "addresses": [
        "208.67.222.222",
        "208.67.220.220"
       ]
      },
      "public": {
       "address": "78.11.19.49"
      }
     },
     {
      "protocol": "ipv6",
      "address": "2600:1700:ae0::c8ff:fe1e:12d2",
      "gateway": "fe80::fe1b:202a",
      "assignmentMode": "dynamic",
      "nameservers": {
       "addresses": [
        "::",
        "::"
       ]
      },
      "public": {
       "address": null
      }
     }
    ]
   }
  ]
 }
]

Request for Two Devices:

curl "https://api.meraki.com/api/v1/organizations/{organizationId}/devices/uplinks/addresses/byDevice?serials[]={serial1}&serials[]={serial2}" \
  -L -H 'Authorization: Bearer {MERAKI-API-KEY}'

Response for Two Devices:

[
  {
    "mac": "00:11:22:33:44:55",
    "name": "My Switch 1",
    "network": {
      "id": "L_24329156"
    },
    "productType": "switch",
    "serial": "{serial1}",
    "tags": [
      "example",
      "switch"
    ],
    "uplinks": [
      {
        "interface": "man1",
        "addresses": [
          {
            "protocol": "ipv4",
            "address": "10.0.1.2",
            "gateway": "10.0.1.1",
            "assignmentMode": "dynamic",
            "nameservers": {
              "addresses": [
                "208.67.222.222",
                "208.67.220.220"
              ]
            },
            "public": {
              "address": "78.11.19.49"
            }
          },
          {
            "protocol": "ipv6",
            "address": "2600:1700:ae0::c8ff:fe1e:12d2",
            "gateway": "fe80::fe1b:202a",
            "assignmentMode": "dynamic",
            "nameservers": {
              "addresses": [
                "::",
                "::"
              ]
            },
            "public": {
              "address": null
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "mac": "00:11:22:33:44:55",
    "name": "My Switch 2",
    "network": {
      "id": "L_24329156"
    },
    "productType": "switch",
    "serial": "{serial2}",
    "tags": [
      "example",
      "switch"
    ],
    "uplinks": [
      {
        "interface": "man1",
        "addresses": [
          {
            "protocol": "ipv4",
            "address": "10.0.1.3",
            "gateway": "10.0.1.1",
            "assignmentMode": "dynamic",
            "nameservers": {
              "addresses": [
                "208.67.222.222",
                "208.67.220.220"
              ]
            },
            "public": {
              "address": "78.11.19.49"
            }
          },
          {
            "protocol": "ipv6",
            "address": "2600:1700:ae0:f84c::9c2f",
            "gateway": "fe80::aa46:202a",
            "assignmentMode": "dynamic",
            "nameservers": {
              "addresses": [
                "::",
                "::"
              ]
            },
            "public": {
              "address": null
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
]

Conclusion

The Meraki Dashboard API provides a robust set of tools for managing and monitoring Meraki networks. By following this guide, you can:

  1. Retrieve organization IDs.
  2. List networks within an organization.
  3. Find devices and their serial numbers.
  4. Retrieve uplink addresses for devices.

This allows for efficient automation and detailed network management, enabling you to streamline network operations and create custom solutions to fit your specific needs. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!