CUWN Design Question

[Craddockc]

Community,

I am looking for assistance from a design perspective. Our current design consists of 12 AP's and a single 2504 WLC. The WLC resides in our HQ building where 9 of the 12 AP's are in local mode, tunneling everything back to the controller. This design makes sense since the WLC exists in the same LAN (not subnet) on the same physical infrastructure as the local AP's. I also have 3 AP's in Flexconnect Local switching mode where only auth and CAPWAP traffic are tunneled back over the MPLS but data traffic is switched locally.

Now, Eventually we want to move the current WLC to one of our Data Centers as well as install a secondary WLC at another Data Center. In this scenario, would I want all my AP's to be in flexconnect mode? This might make sense since I wouldn't want all data traffic to be tunneled back over the MPLS to the WLC in the Data Center just to be sent back over the MPLS to be locally switched right? I just want to make sure this is best practice from a design perspective. Is it ok to put all AP's in Flexconnect anyway? even if the WLC is in the same building? What are your thoughts? Thanks.

Chris.

[Ric Beeching]

The FlexConnect architecture is pretty similar to the Converged Access arch.

I don't believe there is any issue with placing all your APs in FlexConnect mode the way you have described as long as there isn't some centralised function that you want to make use of e.g. Bonjour Gateway, Interface Groups etc.

In some cases I think FlexConnect local switching is superior because there is resilience through your WLC failing assuming local auth is available as the APs can enter a "standalone" state and keep functioning. Otherwise you have a reliance upon the WLC staying up.

Cheers,

Ric

[mohanak]

Yes, you can go with flexconnect : http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/8-1/Enterprise-Mobility-8-1-Design-Guide/Enterprise_Mobility_8-1_Deployment_Guide/ch7_HREA.html#pgfId-1105239

[George Stefanick]

Hi Chris,

Flex has come a long way since the days of old. I was going to reference the document Mohanak linked to. It covers much of the design requirements for 8.1. Whats makes flex interesting and a challenge at the same time is with each major code release flex gets enhanced. 

When I choose flex I think of a few items.

1) Where is the majority of traffic being switched (local or back at the DC)

2) What are the impacts if I lose the link back to the DC. (voice, local printing, local applications) 

3) Do I have sensitive mobile device and applications that require PMK cache for roaming and whats the possible impact for seamless roaming.

4) How much more complicated will this make my configuration. I find the more complicated designs the more challenges arise.

Read the document Mo linked to. 

Mohanak +5 for the document link

[Craddockc]

Thank you everyone for your gracious replies. Ill reference the document and try to come to an intelligent decision about how im going to handle this. Thanks again. Its so nice to know this community exists, you guys really have helped me out of so many jams over the years.

Chris.