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WLC pratical limits

janesh_abey
Level 1
Level 1

Hi all,

the data sheets provide the number of max supported APs on different controller  platforms.

However in practise typically services can get affected before reaching this threshold.

for obvious reasons no vendor will come out and state the practical limit.

Is there a rule of thumb or a recommendation around this?

Thanks,

J

21 Replies 21

Leo Laohoo
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

I'd leave -10 per controller.

So if I have a WiSM-1, the max I'll have (per controller) is 140. 

Scott Fella
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

I really think they have enough fluff built into the max ap limit for that.  It's more of the client connections and throughput that I would be worried about.

Thanks,

Scott

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-Scott
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for argument sake, lets assume BW and the clinet number is not an issue.

for example lets take an enviornment with a 5760 consists of:

-a maximum of 8000 wlan devices - no drams with client number as the max is 12000

-utilsing all 6x 10G ports- no issues with  bandwidth.

- 800 APs

how do you  work out the upper limit for APs  per controller in this scenario?

What kind of APs?   If you're not employing 802.11ac, then you should be fine.  You can go up to the current maximum supported AP.

The support can even go up to 2500 APs.  The main issue I'd be looking at is your backbone. Ok, true you have used 6 10 Gbps links to your core/distro switch.  But what is your core/distro switches?

May I add this ...

The WiSM-2 can support two 10 Gbps distribution ports but only one is enabled all the time.  The 5508 can support 500 APs with 8 Gbps (or less) of distrubution ports.

The main question is your core switches/network.

I don't look at it like that. I see the limit as the max I can put on the WLC no matter what. I have customers that are at max or close to max of 5508's and might only have two or four gig ports connected with no issues.

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-Scott
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Scott Fella
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

Take a look at the 8500... That supports way more APs and only has two 10gig ports. Also look at the 2504 for example, they ended up increasing the limit, so you know that the WLC can handle the AP count.

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-Scott
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Leo,

APs are 802.11n and collapsed core with  7Ks.

cheers,

thanks for your inputs gentlemen.

I'm going to stick with the limit in the datasheet as max.

Scott,

while we are on the subject of WLCs, with AP SSO for  5500 and 8500  - with the  redundant port connectivity, does it need to be directly connected? or can it go through a switching infrastructure?

to me it does not make sense to run a copper cable between the boxes and directly connect it specially if u have 2 fibre connected DCs.

Thanks

As for now, it needs to be directly connected. The reason being is that Cisco doesn't support it unless its directly connected. Until they do, then you can, but you need to read their fine print.

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-Scott
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thanks Scott,

pardon me. but that is crap. who on earth would keep both boxes in the same location?

i'm looking at a soultion for two DCs which fibre connected and seems like 6500/wism2  with redundandat VLAN is the way forward until cisco come out of the cave.

Might have to look at other vendors!!

who on earth would keep both boxes in the same location?

I've got six 5508.  Three each are in the same location.  Each are connected back to a 6500 using copper.

I've got a pair of 6500 in another two locations on a VSS.  Both chassis is filled to the brim with WiSM-1 and WiSM-2.

There's nothing wrong with a design like that. 

i'm talking about 8500s here leo..read the post pls...

It doesn't matter, Janesh, what model is your WLC. What is important is redundancy and putting WLC in each DC works fine and is considered safe and recommended practice.

I mean you can even stick a WLC solo on a site or have an added redundancy in a different location.

At the end if the day, it works and I get redundancy.

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