Switch DSCP to CoS Mappings Configuration

Dashboard Location: Switching > Configure > Switch Settings > Quality of Service

Quality of Service Traffic Classification Management

Switch DSCP to CoS mappings configuration in Meraki networks provides administrators with the capability to implement comprehensive Quality of Service (QoS) traffic classification, enabling precise mapping between Layer 3 DSCP (Differentiated Services Code Point) values and Layer 2 CoS (Class of Service) priorities. This functionality supports traffic prioritization, bandwidth management, application-specific QoS policies, real-time traffic optimization, and end-to-end service level assurance. DSCP to CoS mapping is essential for mixed-media environments, VoIP deployments, video conferencing systems, and enterprise applications requiring consistent network performance across Layer 2 and Layer 3 boundaries.

Diagram

Classes

switch (meraki.domains.organizations.networks)

Name	Type	Constraint	Mandatory	Default Value
dscp_to_cos_mappings	List	`[dscp_to_cos_mappings]`	No

dscp_to_cos_mappings (meraki.domains.organizations.networks.switch)

Name	Type	Constraint	Mandatory
dscp	Integer	min: `0`, max: `63`	Yes
cos	Integer	min: `0`, max: `7`	Yes
title	String	min: `1`, max: `127`	No

Examples

Example-1: The example below demonstrates switch DSCP to CoS mappings configuration using tested YAML configuration from pipeline fixtures.

meraki:
  domains:
    - name: "!env domain"
      administrator:
        name: "!env org_admin"
      organizations:
        - name: "!env org"
          networks:
            - name: "!env network_name"
              product_types:
                - appliance
                - switch
                - wireless
                - camera
                - sensor
                - cellularGateway
              switch:
                dscp_to_cos_mappings:
                  - cos: 0
                    dscp: 0
                    title: default
                  - cos: 0
                    dscp: 10
                    title: AF11
                  - cos: 1
                    dscp: 18
                    title: AF21
                  - cos: 2
                    dscp: 26
                    title: AF31
                  - cos: 3
                    dscp: 34
                    title: AF41
                  - cos: 4
                    dscp: 46
                    title: EF voice
                      title: "Video Traffic"

DSCP Values Reference

DSCP Value	Binary	Decimal	RFC Classification	Traffic Type	Recommended CoS
000000	0x00	0	Best Effort	Default traffic	0
001000	0x08	8	CS1	Background	1
001010	0x0A	10	AF11	Assured Forwarding	1
001100	0x0C	12	AF12	Assured Forwarding	1
001110	0x0E	14	AF13	Assured Forwarding	1
010000	0x10	16	CS2	Standard	2
010010	0x12	18	AF21	Assured Forwarding	2
010100	0x14	20	AF22	Assured Forwarding	2
010110	0x16	22	AF23	Assured Forwarding	2
011000	0x18	24	CS3	High priority	3
011010	0x1A	26	AF31	Assured Forwarding	3
011100	0x1C	28	AF32	Assured Forwarding	3
011110	0x1E	30	AF33	Assured Forwarding	3
100000	0x20	32	CS4	Critical apps	4
100010	0x22	34	AF41	Assured Forwarding	4
100100	0x24	36	AF42	Assured Forwarding	4
100110	0x26	38	AF43	Assured Forwarding	4
101000	0x28	40	CS5	Voice bearer	5
101100	0x2C	44	Voice Control	VoIP signaling	5
101110	0x2E	46	EF	Voice payload	5
110000	0x30	48	CS6	Network control	6
111000	0x38	56	CS7	Management	6
111111	0x3F	63	Reserved	Emergency	7

CoS Priority Levels

CoS Value	Priority Level	Queue Assignment	Typical Usage	Drop Precedence
0	Best Effort	Lowest	Default traffic	Highest
1	Background	Low	Bulk data	High
2	Standard	Medium-Low	Standard apps	Medium-High
3	Excellent Effort	Medium	Business apps	Medium
4	Controlled Load	Medium-High	Multimedia	Medium-Low
5	Video/Voice	High	Real-time traffic	Low
6	Internetwork Control	Higher	Network protocols	Very Low
7	Network Control	Highest	Management	Lowest

Assured Forwarding Classes

AF Class	DSCP Values	Drop Precedence	Use Case	CoS Mapping
AF1x	10, 12, 14	Low, Medium, High	Background applications	1
AF2x	18, 20, 22	Low, Medium, High	Standard applications	2
AF3x	26, 28, 30	Low, Medium, High	Multimedia streaming	3
AF4x	34, 36, 38	Low, Medium, High	Real-time interactive	4

Traffic Classification Scenarios

Application Type	DSCP Marking	CoS Priority	Queue Behavior	Bandwidth Allocation
VoIP Voice	46 (EF)	5	Priority queue	Guaranteed minimum
VoIP Signaling	24 (CS3)	3	High priority	Reserved capacity
Video Conferencing	34 (AF41)	4	Assured forwarding	Preferential treatment
Business Applications	26 (AF31)	3	Standard forwarding	Fair share
Web Browsing	0 (BE)	0	Best effort	Remaining bandwidth
File Transfers	10 (AF11)	1	Background	Lowest priority
Network Management	56 (CS7)	6	Control traffic	Management reserved

QoS Implementation Strategies

Strategy	Implementation	Configuration	Benefit
Voice First	Voice traffic prioritization	CoS 5 for DSCP 46	Call quality assurance
Application-based	Per-application marking	AF classes	Service differentiation
User-based	Role-based priorities	Custom mappings	User experience optimization
Bandwidth-based	Traffic shaping integration	Queue management	Congestion control