Convert HA SKU WLC to active WLC

[Patrick Werner]

Hello Community.

Our customer bought a HA SKU WLC 5508 and he want now to use that Controller as a full active primary Controller.

I read following post -> https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/12160596/how-can-i-configure-wlc-2504-do-ha-n1-method

and as I read it, it is possible to convert it to a full active primary Controller. I need just to install the ap license on it.

Is that right?

Thanks for answers and Kind regards

[Leo Laohoo]

Send an email to license@cisco.com with the serial number of the appliance you want to convert to a non-HA SKU.

[Patrick Werner]

Cisco told me it is much easier to convert. Just do the following:

[Leo Laohoo]

Cisco told me it is much easier to convert. Just do the following:

Exactly how many APs is the WLC going to have.  The HA unit should have a 50-AP license in order to convert to HA.

[Patrick Werner]

I think the WLC is going to have 0 Licenses, but i'm not sure. I didn't do the conversion until now.

[Leo Laohoo]

A controller must have a minimum of 50 AP license in order to "convert" to HA.  So I'm not sure if this is what the Licensing team wants you to do:  Reverse the process and the WLC might have a 50 AP license for you to use.

[Patrick Werner]

What do you mean with "Reverse the process", our HA WLC was bought as a HA WLC SKU = AIR-CT5508-HA-K9 . This WLC was never a Primary WLC.

But I'm no confused because of the following:

"Q. Can I convert the HA SKU for use as a primary controller and add licenses on the primary controller once converted?

A. No. This is not a supported scenario. If you have purchased an -HA SKU, it is not possible to convert it to a primary controller.

The exception to this is if a customer has purchased a primary controller such as a Cisco 5508-50 Wireless Controller and converted it to an HA controller and now wants to revert that to being a primary controller. Such a transition is supported."

From here:

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/aironet-1130-ag-series/qa_c67-714540.html

This is from Software Release 7.3. That means after Software Release 7.5 it's possible to convert. Right?

[Scott Fella]

You will not be able to convert an HA sku WLC to a licensed controller. This information is in the HA FAQ.

Can I convert the HA SKU for use as a primary controller and add licenses on the primary controller once converted?
A. No. This is not a supported scenario. If you have purchased an -HA SKU, it is not possible to convert it to a primary controller.
The exception to this is if a customer has purchased a primary controller such as a Cisco 5508-50 Wireless Controller and converted it to an HA controller and now wants to revert that to being a primary controller. Such a transition is supported.

-Scott 

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[Patrick Werner]

I did that on my HA SKU 5508, rebooted the device and now i have following Situation:

(Cisco Controller) >show redundancy summary
 Redundancy Mode = SSO DISABLED
     Local State = ACTIVE
      Peer State = N/A
            Unit = Primary
         Unit ID = A4:6C:2A:86:1D:60
Redundancy State = N/A
    Mobility MAC = A4:6C:2A:86:1D:60

Looks like i have now a non-HA SKU Unit. I'll ordering now test licenses from Cisco and will check if it will work with an AP.

Anyway Cisco TAC told me following:

--------------------------------------------

As I understand from the problem description that you would like to convert a HA SKU WLC to a non-HA SKU, please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

No need for a license to convert that but you will need to buy a license to make AP join that WLC.

If you have your WLC in version 7.5 or newer, and in order to convert that WLC please go to WLC GUI >> controller >> general >> HA SKU secondary unit >> disable

---------------------------------------------

If this really doesn't work why is there an Option to disable "HA-SKU secondary unit" in the GUI. SKU means "stockkeeping unit". If this really doens't work, then Cisco should call this Option just ""HA secondary unit" and not "HA-SKU secondary unit".

[Scott Fella]

The option of setting the unit to primary or secondary is meant for HA sku controllers in an N+1 or SSO design. If you have an HA sku controller, you will not be able to make it a stand alone and add license. You can either use the eval for 90 days or set the unit as secondary which will give you the max number of AP's for that controller, but you will get a nag screen after 90 days.  I wouldn't do that because when I tested it in my lab, I lost management access around the 90 days.  Everything was working but couldn't access the box and had to erase the config and start over.  Will this happen to you, I have no clue, you would just have to try it. As far as livening goes, you can't add license in an HA sku as that is stated in the FAQ.

-Scott 

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[Leo Laohoo]

What do you mean with "Reverse the process", our HA WLC was bought as a HA WLC SKU = AIR-CT5508-HA-K9 . 

I agree with Scott's response below.  This process is only valid if the WLC was converted with a 50-AP license to HA.  

If the WLC was purchased with an HA SKU then the process can't be "reversed" (as there is no fall-back to reverse to).  I believe Cisco Licensing Team got confused with what you're trying to accomplish.

[mohanak]

No. This is not a supported scenario. If you have purchased an -HA SKU, it is not possible to convert it to a primary controller.

The exception to this is if a customer has purchased a primary controller such as a Cisco 5508-50 Wireless Controller and converted it to an HA controller and now wants to revert that to being a primary controller. Such a transition is supported.

Steps to disable SSO on HA Pair

1. On primary controller, disable SSO using the command

Config redundancy mode disable

2. Active and Standby WLCs reboot once this command is executed

3. The standby controller, when it comes back after the reboot, has the same IP 
address on interfaces as the primary controller and all the ports disabled.

4. On this controller re-enter the correct IP addresses corresponding to the 
management and dynamic interfaces and execute the following command

Config port adminmode all enable

5. Save config on the controller

[Manish Mathur]

Guys, In case something gets stuck or there are issues while converting the HA-SKU WLC to non HA-SKU , you can open up a case with TAC. I remember that there is a shell level command which can be run on the console of the WLC to convert the WLC from HA-SKU to non HA-SKU.

Just in case all the above suggestions don't work. :)

Cheers,

Manish 

[Ratchapas Shatsa-Nga]

It is impossible to reverse to primary controller as instruction.

[Scott Fella]

If you are asking the same question about being able to license an ha-sku controller, here is the FAQ:

Q. Can I convert the HA SKU for use as a primary controller and add licenses on the primary controller once converted?
A. No. This is not a supported scenario. If you have purchased an -HA SKU, it is not possible to convert it to a primary controller.
The exception to this is if a customer has purchased a primary controller such as a Cisco 5508-50 Wireless Controller and converted it to an HA controller and now wants to revert that to being a primary controller. Such a transition is supported.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/aironet-1130-ag-series/qa_c67-714540.html

-Scott 

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