At what point is a wireless controller needed?

[jyanscole74]

I work for an MSP and also do sales into some enterprise clients, I have a client with 4x 3602 APs and another 17x 3702 APs ready to be installed.

A colleague of his told him he needs a wireless controller now, he wants to know if that is a requirement, or just best practice (his colleague couldn't really elaborate why)

He has 3x 3750X (48port, POE) currently installed.

My current understanding is that he doesn't NEED a wireless controller at this point, but that it would just make managing things a lot easier, is that right or am I off-base here?

Thanks

[Leo Laohoo]

WLC can do a lot  of things but I'm more interested in the following: 

1.  Easy to manage (and maintain) multiple APs;

2.  Client troubleshooting;

3.  CleanAir/Flexible Radio Assignment

[inderdeeps]

Well as per the design Consideration, the need and the requirement of the APs increases in customer environment. Managing a number of autonomous APs is getting more difficult as device number grows, as the configuration must be consistent across many devices. WLCs solve this problem by providing centralized management of the wireless network.

Regards

Inderdeep Singh

www.thenetworkdna.com 

[patoberli]

As the previous two already stated, there is no requirement for it, but it makes life easier. 

What you could do, get one 2802 AP and use Mobility Express on it. You sadly can't control the old 3602 series with that, but you can control the less old 3702 APs with it.

Information: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/technotes/8-8/b_cisco_mobility_express_8_8/m_product_overview.html