topic Re: 5520-WLC boot drive in Wireless

5520-WLC boot drive

JJBGage — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 21:05:50 GMT

I need a 5520-WLC boot drive. I've been exchanging emails with a "Technical Consulting Engineer Wireless." She is telling me that I need to ship the 5520 to them because the SSD are part of the CIMC.

I don't want to second guess, but that seems like a cumbersome solution just for a boot drive. Can anyone shed light on this?

Thanks

Re: 5520-WLC boot drive

balaji.bandi — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 07:08:07 GMT

If they TAC advise for RMA, you should follow the steps RMA , so they can give you new UNIT send back

Hope you have backup to restore?

Re: 5520-WLC boot drive

JJBGage — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 14:00:30 GMT

OK, thanks.

But perhaps I didn't make my question sufficiently clear. I'm curious if anyone with 5520-WLC knowledge/experience is aware of the SSD boot drive being tied/parred to a specific unit's CIMC. I ask because it's obviously less expensive to ship an SSD than it is to ship a 5520-WLC.

Thanks again.

Re: 5520-WLC boot drive

Saikat Nandy — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 14:19:42 GMT

May I know the ultimate goal of yours? What exactly you are trying to achieve?

Re: 5520-WLC boot drive

Dustin Anderson — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 14:21:42 GMT

We replaced out 5520s so cant specifically verify, but I seem to remember it having a single 2.5 SSD installed. Now, Cisco tends to also have a small SSD on the motherboard that designates what the server does etc. My guess is they are more concerned with a new SSD would need to be set up in the CIMC since it's single and not a RAID, and there is no ISO reinstall for the AirOS WLCs to reimage a unit. At least nothing publicly available.

Are you working with TAC, or a 3rd party. That could also be a factor, but I've not had a SSD fail on one to know Cisco's procedure.

Re: 5520-WLC boot drive

Mark Elsen — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 14:30:12 GMT

- @JJBGage At least such operations are not supported. The device must be considered as an appliance in total. Cisco does not offer install or recovery procedures for an empty drive on the 5520 ,

Re: 5520-WLC boot drive

Saikat Nandy — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:21:49 GMT

We don't have any procedure to replace 'specific parts' of a 5520 WLC. As @Mark Elsen mentioned, if you need to replace any component of 5520, you need to RMA the whole unit.

Re: 5520-WLC boot drive

balaji.bandi — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:24:25 GMT

I understand your point, but Cisco have process in place, its free to ship RMA and get working one right ? what is the challenge here ?

Re: 5520-WLC boot drive

JJBGage — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:46:51 GMT

Hi,

My goal is to obtain a boot drive for the 5520-WLC. I check the SN and the units are still under warranty. I was told by the Cisco engineer (I assume TAC) that I needed to send in the entire 5520 because the boot SSD(s) are linked to the CIMC.

I find that curious because it doesn't make business sense to send in a server just to replace an SSD.

Re: 5520-WLC boot drive

JJBGage — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:49:36 GMT

No "challenge." I have never done this before so I just want to make sure I have an understanding. You have to understand that I'm exchanging emails with a Cisco TAC rep and there is a 1 - 1.5 day lag between my questions and their answers.

Thanks again.

Re: 5520-WLC boot drive

JJBGage — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:52:04 GMT

Thanks for your response - good info. I'm working with a Cisco wireless engineer.

Re: 5520-WLC boot drive

JJBGage — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:58:14 GMT

OK, then it is what it is - entire unit it is.

I've never done this before and found the process counterintuitive from a business perspective. Anyway, I'm waiting for a response from the wireless engineer regarding starting the RMA process (who pays for shipping, ship to address, RMA number, etc.).

Thanks.

Re: 5520-WLC boot drive

balaji.bandi — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 17:20:58 GMT

RMA is good option we follow same all the time. They have good support based on your RMA contract we do have 4 hours turn around if that is critical ( also worth investing standby).

Re: 5520-WLC boot drive

Rich R — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 22:32:44 GMT

That will depend on your support contract.
TAC will ask you to provide shipping address and contacts for the RMA.
Most customers have "Advanced Return" contracts meaning Cisco sends you the RMA replacements and then you ship back the faulty unit - usually by arranging for their courier to collect it via the POWR online portal.

Re: 5520-WLC boot drive

JJBGage — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 22:42:28 GMT

Thanks Rich.