Cisco Wireless Upgrade Path?

[maaya88]

I have an install with (2) 5508 WLCs in HA and about 420 3802 APs. The 5508 are EOL and the 3802s don't have much life left (basically just security updates until 2027) and at a moment like this I would typically do an upgrade across the board, but our financial position makes that impossible. The 3802s need to remain in place due to the enormous labor cost associated with replacing them at this moment. I am forced to kick the can down the road. Cisco has absolutely zero interest in talking beyond saying "buy new controllers re-license all of the APs- and you have to buy DNA too" and there is no conversation beyond that. Can anyone comment on the lowest cost solution at this moment, keeping in mind that I need to keep the 3802s in place for at least 2 more years - likely 3. (autonomous mode isn't an option)

Thanks

[Prince.O]

The 9800 wireless controller platform(9800-L, 40, 80, CL) is the recommended upgrade path that will be supported by Cisco moving forward. I would advise you to consider that as a next step as the platform supports the 3802 Aps as well. 

See below example of one of the 9800 platforms :

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/catalyst-9800-series-wireless-controllers/nb-06-cat9800-wirel-cont-data-sheet-ctp-en.html

[Flavio Miranda]

Hi

   If you need to keep the Cisco Access Point then another vendor is not an option.If your budget is zero then the only option I see is keep running this infrastructure and cross fingers.

  3504 must not cost much but does not supports all your APs. Virtual WLC is maybe cheaper then physical but for almost 500k AP will not be much cheaper either.

[eglinsky2012]

Have you looked in to Cisco Refreshed 9800 WLCs, like a C9800-40-K9-RF? Those look to be 20% cheaper than the brand new model. Like Prince said, the 3800s are still supported on the 9800s, even up to the latest 17.9 code, so you could do the WLC now and the APs later. The problem with the C9800s is the mandatory DNA term licensing, so look in to that beforehand.

Otherwise, how about eBay or a third party network equipment vendor to get a 5520 WLC? It's supposed to get security updates until January 2025. With 8.10 code, the newer 9100 series APs (excluding the newest 6 GHz models) are supported, and a maintenance release was just released a couple weeks ago. But, even 8.10 is at the end of the rope maintenance-wise. If eBay, check the description to see if enough AP licenses are included.

If you don't have SmartNet and want support, you could go through a third party. I think Park Place Technologies (Curvature) does that, and maybe they could even sell you a 5520 WLC.

Another option is Mobility Express, a 3800 can be converted to this mode running 8.10 code to act as a WLC supporting up to 100 APs (so you'd need at least 5, maybe have one per building or floor).

As for labor to replace APs, depending how much time you have and if you have colleagues (or someone looking for a summer/winter job) who could help, you'd be surprised how quickly APs can be swapped out. It took a group of four of us (two pairs) a couple hours to replace around 100 APs in a building, and we only brought in contractors for a few high up that needed wall-mount brackets added.

[Rich R]

As Prince said 9800 WLC is the way to go and you keep your APs.  That link is to 9800-40 but in fact 9800-L with performance license will support your APs too.  You might also want to consider 9800-CL.
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/catalyst-9800-series-wireless-controllers/datasheet-c78-742434.html
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/catalyst-9800-cl-wireless-controller-cloud/nb-06-cat9800-cl-cloud-wirel-data-sheet-ctp-en.html
You will require a DNA license for each AP.  If you're not using DNAC you can buy the shortest possible subscription - let the DNA component expire but the network part is perpetual.
Depending on when you bought the APs you might even have bought them with DNA licenses as DNA license was mandatory with the APs for a while so worth checking what you actually bought when you got those APs.  If you bought DNA licenses then they should be in your smart licensing account.