Migration Options WLC5508

[lcaruso]

If the WLC5508 does not support the new 9100 APs, and the 9800 wireless controller does not support legacy APs such as the 3602i, how does one convert a site that cannot experience significant downtime to new technology? 

[Scott Fella · Accepted solution]

Well you either bring up both environments in parallel by running new cabling. Or you bring up both controllers and swap aps.

[lcaruso]

Do the 9800s have same setup regarding management vlan for APs? In other words, for the scenario to bring up both controllers and swap APs, provision a different management vlan and cut those switchports over to it. 

[Scott Fella · Accepted solution]

That would be a better solution. Take a section of an area or maybe a floor at a time as an example. When an access point is removed and the new one placed, you either can just switch the vlan to the management vlan of the new 9800’s or change the option 43 or dns option. The switching of vlans might be better because, the ap will discover the new 9800 and join. Then later, you can switch the vlan back to the original if you want. It’s really up to you. Keep in mind about the areas where roaming will break because of AP’s being swapped or no roaming support between the two environments. This will help you call out the risk and also help understand how many aps need to be swapped in a given timeframe.