Best procedure to create hot backup for 2500 Wireless WLC.

[dmarch]

Hello,

We are looking to put in place backup 2500 series Wireless Controller to be backups to the live ones we have at a couple of our locations.  I am trying to figure out the best procedure to have them be hot swappable in case one of the live ones dies so we can take the backup and put it online and not have to reconfigure the everything.

• Would we be able to copy the AP licensing to the backup device?
• Any of the other certificates can they be copied over?

Thank you for any help.

David March

[ammahend]

you can do N+1 HA architecture, see guide

you will need 2 set of licenses and certificates are not replicated.

2504 are 4 generation old WLC and they are end of support, you won't be able to buy license, best is to upgrade to something like C9800-L-C-K9, where you can do a true HA with SSO. If you do choose to upgrade make sure you look at wireless compatibility matrix and make sure your APs will work with new controllers, if not then you should consider upgrading APs too.

more details on controller here

[Rich R]

> you won't be able to buy license
Although the controllers are EOS you actually can still order Adder licenses as per table 5 of the data sheet:
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/2500-series-wireless-controllers/data_sheet_c78-645111.html
I've just checked and Cisco is still allowing these to be ordered.

Nevertheless, agreed with @ammahend that rather than spending time, money and effort on expanding WLCs which are already end of support it would be better to plan migration to current, supported products.

[dmarch]

Thanks for the info.

[dmarch]

I have a follow up question.  Were can I find a list of AP's that are compatible with the C9800-L-C-K9.

[marce1000 · Accepted solution]

 - FYI : https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/compatibility/matrix/compatibility-matrix.html

 M.

[Rich R]

The link is already included in my previous reply above:
Cisco Wireless compatibility matrix
Note that it also depends what version of software you're running.
Refer to TAC recommended codes for 9800 WLC's for the TAC recommended IOS-XE versions.

The release notes for each software version also list the compatible AP models - eg:
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/9800/17-9/release-notes/rn-17-9-9800.html#Cisco_Concept.dita_7b3aedb7-a434-4895-bc30-f2a3b5885440