Doubts regarding the implementation of the new structure 9800

[Wil78]

First of all, thank you very much community for taking the time to read and perhaps respond to this request.

We have a project to update the Wi-Fi infrastructure of the company where I am working.

We have a WLC 5520 with 80 2700 series access points, our intention is to acquire a new WLC 9800 controller and maintain the 2700 series access points. In the controller's access point matrix, I note that the iOS version 17.12.1.5 supports this device model.

I think it is not possible to move my access point licenses from the old controller to the new one, however, do you think it is possible?

If I buy a license pack for my new controller, should I be able to associate the 2700 series access points or would I need something else?

The license packs do not discriminate between models or do they?

thank you  so much.

[Daniel Ordóñez Flores]

Hi @Wil78 

As far as I know, you need to buy license for every AP that you will registered to the new 9800. But you can call to Cisco license team and ask y if is posiblee to migrate the license on 5520 to smart account on your 9800

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/licensing/licensing-support.html

[Wil78]

thank you Daniel

[Julio E. Moisa]

Hi

The licensing scheme is handled differently with the new wireless controller. You can use the 2700 models over the 9800 WLC under 2 conditions:

1 - Use a specific IOS on the 9800 WLC (the latest will not allow that specific aironet model)

2 - You must buy DNA licenses to be able to run your aironets.

A recommendation is migrate to infrastructure to a new one if you are expanding your wireless infractructure with new access points (example: 9100) otherwise you could keep your current infra, just take in consideration that the aironet 2700 model is not longer supported by Cisco. 

Now you could consider to migrate to new wireless standard in a near future. Also you can evaluate Meraki Wireless solution in a future.

You could have a conversation with a Cisco representative or Cisco authorized partner to get a better point of view of this case.

Regards.

[JPavonM]

Yes you must acquire DNA licenses (or move your 5520's to Smart licensing if possible), but there is no need to keep them renewing in the long term, as that way your licensing will drop from DNA to Network Essential (https://www.cisco.com/c/m/en_us/products/software/dna-subscription-wireless/en-sw-sub-matrix-wireless.html).

Basically speaking, you will continue with the same capabilities you have in the current deployment, as DNA licenses only add connectivity to DNA Center which is optional (and really expensive as an appliance unless Cisco AM offers it to you for free as they sometimes do) for some pseuso-AI features and assurance only (I'm not really confident about provisioning with DNA-C).