autonomous IOS longevity

[choclateer]

                   Does Cisco plan to support an autonomous IOS solution long term? I notice all the new enterprise gear is CAPWAP controller based only. Will the down level line of APs support for stand alone versions continue for very long? (Like AIR-AP1262N-A-K9) I realize they cannot integrate CleanAir and other advanced features into a stand alone AP.

[fbarboza · Accepted solution]

Hi ,

The stand alone access points will still be available for some time,  no new features will be included, but features like clean air are only going to be available on the light weight access points since this is a feature of the WLC and the access points in capwap mode.

[George Stefanick]

I dont know that comment of new features will not be available. I would say that advance features will not be.

[Leo Laohoo]

Does Cisco plan to support an autonomous IOS solution long term?
 Will the down level line of APs support for stand alone versions continue for very long?

Yes because not everyone can afford a WLC.

notice all the new enterprise gear is CAPWAP controller based only.

You "may" be able to get autonomous IOS for some of the CleanAir WAPs but Cisco TAC will NOT offer any troubleshooting or configuration support.  The reason for this is because the autonomous IOS for CleanAir WAPs are NOT released for "service" but the firmware/IOS is used for wireless site survey purposes.

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

Just to add to my post is an excerpt taken from the Release Notes of the autonomous IOS, version 15.2(2)JA for the 2600 and 3600 (both WAPs can use the same file).

Note Although 2600 series access points support CleanAir when connected to a wireless LAN controller, standalone 2600 series access point do not support CleanAir.

And a few lines below this is this:

Site-Survey Only Mode for 3600, 3500, and 1550 Access Points 
 You can install Cisco IOS Release 15.2(2)JA on Cisco Aironet 3600 and 3500 Series access points and on 1550 series outdoor access points to perform site surveys. This release runs on these access points with limited functionality. You can manually adjust these settings on the site-survey access points: 
 •Channel on each radio 
•Transmit power on each radio
•Enable and disable the radios
•Manually set basic and supported transmit rates
•Enable advertised cell power in beacons to client to enable DTPC for doing active surveys
•Enable and disable SSID broadcast in beacons
 •Enable open authentication

[Scott Fella · Accepted solution]

From what I was told is that autonomous images will be supported for the correct hardware. The APs will not have any features that the WLCs performs and will be just like any other access point in autonomous we are use to. WDS will be supported, 802.11n, the usual stuff we can configure in command line. So take a look at the release notes Leo posted and that is what the newer APs will support and not support when it becomes available. These autonomous APs will not go away as long as the other vendors still have APs similar that they are selling.

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