Meraki MX Warm Spare in Singapore: One Licence for Two Appliances
Last updated: October 2026
A Cisco Meraki MX warm spare pair needs one MX licence for both appliances. The second appliance (warm spare) does not need its own license. The spare must be the same MX model and the same regional SKU. This rule applies to the MX only. Meraki MS switches in a warm spare pair need two licences. A FortiGate HA pair normally needs licences on both units.
Megatron Technology is an authorised Cisco Networking Partner in Singapore. We checked these facts on 7 October 2026. Sources: the Cisco Meraki General Licensing FAQs and the MX Warm Spare – High-Availability Pair guide.
How many licences does a Meraki MX warm spare pair need?
One. The Meraki FAQ asks: "Do I need duplicate licenses to cover my security appliance in a warm spare configuration?" The answer is no. One licence covers the two devices. The only extra cost is the second appliance itself without a license.
The MX Warm Spare guide gives the same answer. The Co-Term MX/Z licensing page also gives the same answer. On Subscription licensing, the MX subscription feature table lists High Availability in both the Essential and Advantage tiers. HA is not a paid add-on.
For your finance team: two appliances on the hardware line, one licence on the licence line.
What must match between the two MX appliances?
Meraki has strict hardware rules:
Same MX model. Meraki does not support a pair of different models. Meraki's example: MX85 with MX105 is not supported.
Same regional SKU. Meraki does not support two units of one model with different regional SKUs. Meraki's example: MX67C-WW with MX67C-NA. Buy both units from the same Singapore channel.
One uplink IP for each unit. Each unit needs its own IP to reach the dashboard. A shared virtual IP gives smoother failover. For this, budget one extra public IP for each uplink. In Singapore you typically have to buy it in a set of 8 (/29) from the ISP. This usually is a large cost increase from a single static IP.
Good LAN cabling between the units. The spare monitors heartbeats from the primary across the LAN. Meraki recommends downstream switches with Spanning Tree enabled. Two switches or a stack is best.
How does the MX compare with Meraki switches and FortiGate?
| Platform | HA / warm spare hardware | Licences needed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meraki MX (security and SD-WAN) | Two identical MX models | One MX licence for the pair | Meraki General Licensing FAQs; MX Warm Spare guide |
| Meraki MS (switches) | Two switches in warm spare / HA | Two licences, one for each switch | Meraki General Licensing FAQs |
| FortiGate (FGCP HA) | Two identical FortiGate models | Normally licences on both units (some models have special HA SKUs) | FortiGate HA Needs Two Licences |
Does the MX licence tier matter for a warm spare?
Yes, but only because the one licence sets the tier for the pair. If the primary has Advanced Security (Co-Term) or Advantage (Subscription), the pair runs that tier. You do not buy a lower licence for the spare. You buy one licence at the tier the site needs.
On Co-Term, each MX licence matches one MX model. On Subscription, MX licences are in product classes: Small, Medium, Large and X-Large. In both models, the warm spare does not use a second licence.
What does a Meraki MX warm spare give your business?
The MX Warm Spare guide gives these benefits:
Automatic failover. The spare takes over if the primary hardware fails or all its uplinks fail.
No site visit. Nobody has to go to site to replace a unit during a failure.
Less downtime for firmware upgrades. The dashboard upgrades the primary first while the spare carries traffic. Then it upgrades the spare.
Some Singapore offices run payments, clinic systems or a contact centre on their internet edge. For these offices, a second appliance is often worth the cost. For a small office, one hour offline can be acceptable. A single MX and a clear replacement plan can be enough. This is a business decision, not a licensing decision.
What should you check before you buy an MX warm spare?
The swap button is not a failover test. Meraki says to disconnect the primary uplink fully to test failover.
Warm spare does not support VLAN objects. When you add a spare, the MX removes L3 rules that use VLAN objects. Check your firewall rules first.
HA pairs have a VLAN limit. Meraki gives a maximum of 255 VLANs on an MX HA pair. Most SMEs are below this limit. Large campuses must check.
Add the spare in the dashboard first. Then connect the cables. Meraki recommends this sequence.
Secure Router (C8000) Active/Active modes start at MX 26.2. If your design uses C8000 Secure Routers, ask us for a separate licensing check. This article covers the MX FAQ answer only.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need two MX licences for an HA pair?
No. Cisco Meraki's General Licensing FAQs say an MX warm spare / HA pair needs one licence for the two devices. You pay for the second appliance, not a second licence.
Can we pair an old MX with a new one to save money?
No. The spare must be the same MX model as the primary. Meraki does not support mixed models (for example MX85 and MX105) or different regional SKUs of one model.
Do Meraki switches work the same way?
No. Meraki's FAQ says MS switches in warm spare / HA need two licences. Budget one licence for each switch.
Does adding a warm spare change our co-term date?
No. A spare MX does not add a second MX licence, so it adds no licence term. If you buy other licences at the same time, the usual co-term rules apply.
Can we use a second-hand MX as the spare?
Only if the previous owner has released it from their dashboard. Even then, the warranty does not transfer.
Is MX warm spare cheaper than FortiGate HA?
On the licence line, often yes. MX HA uses one licence. A standard FortiGate HA pair normally needs licences on both units. Compare the full five-year cost: hardware, licence tier, support and the features you need.
What happens if i don’t run HA, will Cisco still replace my faulty box?
Yes, Cisco will replace your faulty box if you have an existing license and access to TAC support. However, the lead time of delivery may vary based on stock status. If you need guaranteed SLA for replacement, ask your partner to quote an additional “RMA” SKU.
Related: How Cisco Meraki Co-Term and Subscription Licensing Work · Why Second-Hand Meraki Often Cannot Be Claimed · FortiGate vs Meraki MX for Singapore Offices
How do we get a quote for a Meraki MX warm spare pair in Singapore?
Send us three items: your current MX serial or model, your licence model (Co-Term or Subscription), and your number of ISP uplinks and public IPs. We confirm the matching spare SKU, the single licence line and the cabling for clean failover. Lead times are typically 1–2 weeks, depending on SKU. Meraki licence terms are commonly 1, 3 or 5 years. Support options are 24x7x4, 8x5xNBD and 8x5x4.
Megatron Technology Pte Ltd (est. 1990, UEN 199002644W) is an authorised Cisco Networking Partner and Managed Services Provider in Singapore, and a Fortinet reseller. Our 4 Cisco-certified engineers design, licence, procure, deploy and support Cisco Meraki, FortiGate and Cisco enterprise networks. Verify us on the Cisco Partner Locator. Contact: +65 6346 2001 · info@megatron.com.sg · 2 Kallang Avenue #08-17 CT Hub, Singapore 339407. See our Cisco Meraki page or contact us.