Item: Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller
Rating: 9
Author: Benjamín Marrón Rojas

Overall Satisfaction with Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

As Cisco Partners, in our organization we have already implemented several 3504 devices for our small clients that do not need more than 120 Access Points. The problems solved by the 3504 controller are communication between all departments of the organization, focusing on mobility without the need to be physically in your workplace.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Mobility. There is no need to have wired devices.
High Availibility. By implementing two WLC 3504 we can create a solution that is redundant of the SSO type.
Easy to Deploy. Simply connect the equipment and through a wizard and we configure the WLC.

Cons

I think that the price is a little bit expensive in comparision with other vendors.
Maybe need to add a redundant power supply.
Maybe better time for booting the WLC.

Return on Investment

Have a reliable wireless system that can meet the needs of an organization.
24/7 support with Cisco TAC.
The return on investment is reflected by not having disruptions in the wireless network.

Alternatives Considered

Cisco 5520 Wireless Controller, Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller and Cisco 9800 Series Wireless Controllers

The 3504 Controller compared to the other WLC models has a capacity to support access points smaller than any other equipment since it is developed with the intention of being implemented in small organizations. With the other models we have greater performance and physically they are larger than the 3504.

Support Rating

The support for this equipment is very good because they provide support only from engineers specialized in each area, and if necessary, the issue is scaled with another area for a solution. On the other hand they can attend to you 24 hours a day and if your device has a hardware-related issue, they send you a new device the next day so you have the least amount of disruption of service.

Key Insights

Do you think Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller's feature set?

Yes

Did Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Cisco AnyConnect, VMware ESXi, Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager), Cisco Catalyst Switches, Cisco Aironet and Catalyst 1850 Series Access Points

Likelihood to Recommend

The scenarios in which we could use the 3504 controller could be many, based on the size of the company or the place where it is intended to be placed. Since the WLC 3504 is limited to 150 Access Points and 3000 clients or connections we can say that it is It is better to implement this type of solution with small to medium-sized clients. If a higher density of users is required, a more robust equipment would be need to cover the total capacity for the wirelessly connected devices.

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Cisco Wireless Controller 3504 Review