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Pieces of the puzzle

Nodes

Each mesh network consists of two or more nodes.
A node is a normal access point running the MESHdesk firmware.
MESHdesk supports a growing list of hardware.
Simply flash the MESHdesk firmware onto any of the supported hardware.
The nodes are pre-configured with the MESHdesk Node config utility (usually once-off).
Nodes are centrally managed and monitored through MESHdesk.

MESHdesk is different from other cloud based controllers which are owned by someone else.
You have your own MESHdesk install.
You use the MESHdesk Node config utility to initially point the MESHdesk firmware to your MESdesk server.
You also use it to display the MAC Address of eth0 on a mesh node in order to specify to which mesh a particular node belongs.
The MESHdesk Node config utility is a Windows based executable for your convenience. (It will also be able to run on Apple and Linux)

MESHdesk comes as part of RADIUSdesk and is used to centrally manage and monitor Batman-adv based mesh networks.
You use it to define entry points (SSIDs) and exit points to a mesh network.
You also use it to assign nodes to a mesh network.

RADIUSdesk is a modern web based front-end to the FreeRADIUS RADIUS server.
RADIUS is used by the mesh network on the entry points (SSID) if one choose to include WPA2 Enterprise security.
RADIUS is also used by the mesh network on the exit points if one choose to include a Coova Chilli captive portal.