Item: Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
Rating: 10
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We currently have dual Cisco 5508 Wireless LAN Controllers set up as an SSO HA pair managing all of the Cisco LAPs throughout the site. This product was an upgrade from the original Cisco 2504 Wireless LAN Controllers that we had used in the past to manage all of the LAPs in our facility.

Pros and Cons

Accurate real-time reporting.
Ability to seamlessly create new SSIDs.
Upgrade and maintenance is straightforward and painless.

Logging and reporting capabilities could be more robust.
Onboard disk space prevents multiple IOS versions from being retained.

Return on Investment

Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers save time and money managing APs as LAPs vs. WAPs.
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers make it easy to roll out software upgrades to multiple APs simultaneously.
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers provide a detailed dashboard for viewing connections in realtime.

Alternatives Considered

When we first converted from autonomous WAPs to controller-based LAPs we
chose a Cisco 2504 Wireless LAN Controller (recently replaced by the Cisco 3504). Although the
Cisco 2504 performed perfectly, once our connected endpoints reached 50, we decided to upgrade to the more robust Cisco 5508 Wireless LAN Controller. Allowing for more
maximum connections and SSO HA pairing, the Cisco 5508s have been a great investment.

Key Insights

Do you think Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers's feature set?

Yes

Did Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller, Cisco 1000 Series Integrated Services Routers (ISR 1000), Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series Switches, Cisco Catalyst 9400 Series Switches

Likelihood to Recommend

I would recommend this product to anyone looking to manage multiple Cisco wireless access points. Prior to purchasing and installing this, our APs were autonomous. Converting the existing APs to lightweight managed APs (LAPs) and continuing with that model going forward has saved us time and money. I would definitely recommend managed LAPs over autonomous WAPs to anyone with more than 5 APs to manage.

Easy management of the APs
Easy software upgrades for the APs
Informative dashboard for viewing real-time connections and Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers' status.

WAP to LAP management with Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers

Software Version

Overall Satisfaction with Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers