Task 7 - You have a Playground

So far in this lab:

1. Concepts and Tools: We have learned about the Meraki as Code concept, its benefits, and the tools we will be using in this lab.
2. Prepare your environment: We have cloned the example repository, set environment variables, and familiarized ourselves with the data model structure.
3. Working with Meraki Data Model: We have explored the data model structure, understood how templates and variables are organized, and how to modify them to fit our needs.
4. Creating your first Organization: We have created an organization using the Meraki as Code Data Model.
5. Configure everything as code: We used Meraki as Code Data Model to deploy multiple features across Meraki Dashboard.
6. Challenge: You took over a challenge and created a Data Model for the same.

It’s all yours now. Feel free to play around with the Data Model and try to implement any features you need.

Here are some possible activities that you can choose from. Each one builds on the data model you already have — create a new YAML file in the data/ folder for each activity, then validate, plan, and apply as you have done in the previous tasks.

Create a second SSID named Guest on the existing Amsterdam-Network-1. Configure it with a pre-shared key (PSK) instead of 802.1X, place it on a separate VLAN, and set a bandwidth limit per client using traffic shaping.

Refer to: Configure SSIDs, Traffic Shaping Rules

Define one or more group policies on a network — for example, a “Restricted” policy with bandwidth limits or a “VoIP” policy with DSCP tagging. Group policies can later be applied to clients or SSIDs.

Refer to: Group Policies

Add Layer 3 firewall rules to control traffic flow through the MX appliance. For example, block traffic from the Guest VLAN to the Data VLAN, or allow only specific ports from certain subnets.

Refer to: L3 Firewall Rules

Add Layer 7 application-aware firewall rules to block or allow traffic based on application categories — for example, block social media or streaming on the corporate network.

Refer to: L7 Firewall Rules

Configure content filtering on the MX appliance to block specific URL categories or allow-list trusted domains.

Refer to: Content Filtering

Go beyond network-level configuration and manage organization-wide settings such as login security policies, organization SNMP, or administrator accounts.

Refer to: Login Security, SNMP, Administrators

If you completed the Task 6 challenge, try configuring site-to-site VPN between two networks to see how Meraki as Code handles cross-network features.

Refer to: VPN Site to Site

Try adding switch ACLs, QoS rules, STP configuration, or port schedules to the switch configuration on your network.

Refer to: ACL, QoS Rules, STP Configuration, Port Schedules

Remember the workflow: validate → plan → apply → verify in Dashboard. If you get stuck, refer back to the YAML examples from Tasks 4 and 5, or check the data model reference.