At what point is a wireless controller needed?

[mandilint85]

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

[Sandeep Choudhary]

QUESTION IS: How he will manage 21 APs ?

If he dont need to manage these APs then it ok else he will need a WLC.

Regards

Dont forget to rate helpful posts

[Leo Laohoo]

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@mandilint85 wrote:

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?

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I have been exposed to Autonomous AP and, since having WLC, I will never go back to Autonomous AP.  

Autonomous APs are very manual and management intensive.  With WLC, the configuration is done on the WLC and the WLC "pushes" the configuration across the APs.  

Management of co-channel interference is non-existence in autonomous IOS.  

Nowadays, depending on how complex the wireless network is, Mobility Express allows supported APs to become WLC and an AP at the same time.  Unlike "traditional" WLC, Mobility Express can scale up to 100 APs and the license fee is FREE.  

The only catch is Mobility Express does not have a lot of features a full blown WLC have.