Which information is used to calculate whether a WAN link has high usage?

The Cisco Meraki dashboard calculates WAN link usage by comparing the real-time throughput against the bandwidth limits defined by the administrator. This configured bandwidth value, set under Security & SD WAN > SD WAN & Traffic Shaping > Uplink Configuration, serves as the essential baseline for the calculation. The system determines a link has "high usage" when the measured throughput approaches or exceeds this pre-defined capacity. Without this configured value, the raw throughput data lacks the context needed to be classified as high or low utilization.

A. Live data shows the current throughput, which is the numerator in the usage calculation, but the configured limit (the denominator) is what defines the threshold for "high usage."
B. Total historical throughput is used for long-term reporting and trend analysis, not for calculating the immediate "high usage" status of a link.
C. The number of active devices is an indirect metric and does not reliably correlate with bandwidth consumption, as a few devices can saturate a link.

1. Cisco Meraki Documentation, "Uplink Statistics on the Appliance Status Page."

Under the "Uplink Tab" section, it is stated: "The utilization graph shows the data being sent and received over an interface as a percentage of the configured bandwidth limits." This confirms that the configured limit is the basis for the utilization percentage calculation.

2. Cisco Meraki Documentation, "SD-WAN and Traffic Shaping."

The section "Uplink Configuration" details where administrators must "configure the bandwidth limits for the WAN links on the MX." This configured value is explicitly used by the SD-WAN engine for performance decisions and reporting, including usage status.