Mobility Express Solution deployment

[BGouin]

Hi all,

I want to deploy a WIFI infrastructure with Mobility Express Solution and I have a question before ordering the equipments.

Do I have to order all the AP carrying the Mobility Express Software ? Or is it just required for the master one and the other ones with a regular software ? 

Thanks in advance for your help,

Baptiste 

[marce1000]

 Have a look at the below FAQ; from a few questions and answers I seem to conclude that only the master needs Mobility express :

 https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/solutions/collateral/enterprise-networks/mobility-express/q-and-a-c67-734485.pdf

M.

[BGouin]

Hi, 

Thanks for the answer.

Indeed I've read this FAQ already, and it was not enough accurate for me to answer clearly my question.

However, if you say so, it pretty much confirm my thoughts.

If anybody sure about it could confirm, that would be great.

Thanks,

Baptiste 

[sudhir.gupta1]

Hi ,

Just wanted to check How many AP you wanted to deploy,

if its many, try to take 2 ME (With K9C) and other Lwap (with K9).

Rgds/Sudhir

[BGouin]

Hi Sudhir,

Actually, it's just a 5AP network, one ME is gonna be enough then I guess.

We agree that this solution doesn't need Cisco Prime Infrastructure to be managed, everything can be managed by web user interface ?

Thanks for your help, 

Baptiste

[sudhir.gupta1]

Hi Baptiste,

No need to have Cisco Prime Infra.
All AP can be managed via Cisco ME.

Rgds/Sudhir

[BGouin]

Great!

Thanks!

Baptiste

[Ric Beeching]

If ordering APs such as 2800/3800, they are all capable of ME but will do lightweight out-of-box. Let's say you order 10 and want to use 2 as redundant ME WLCs, convert two of them to ME with the command "ap-type mobility-express" If that does not work you'll need to download the ME image for those APs, place it on a TFTP server and do ap-type mobility-express tftp://<server address>/<ME Image>.

Once one is configured, the other will automatically become a standby so just do one to start with. All other APs will be able to join it but will need a location to download software which you again use a TFTP server for and place the required images on that server. In the ME AP configuration options you can set the location of that server and it will tell all the APs to go there for software. This is because the ME APs don't have enough storage for all the images.
Ric

[BGouin]

Hi Ric,

I guess it's the same for 1815i Aps?...

I get your point, but I guess it's the same if I order one (or two for redundancy) out of five already with the ME soft and the other ones with regular softs? 

The TFTP server is going to be useful for the download of software updates right?

Thanks, 

Baptiste 

[Ric Beeching]

Yes 1815 should be the same as far as I am aware and agreed with Sudhir definitely don't need prime to manage a small deployment like that, very costly for little benefit!
I'd order 2 as there's no harm in it and you have that redundancy and yep other 3 as 'standard'.
TFTP Server is always useful for wireless as you often find yourself in need of it. Depending on your available resources I just tend to run it on a workstation somewhere but you might want to set it up as a permanent thing on a server.

Cheers,
Ric

[BGouin]

Alright, FYI, after a talk with Cisco Global Virtual Engineering, seems like having 5 APs with the Mobility Express Image is the solution, as far as they are available at the same price as the regular ones and : 

"To have redundancy in the Mobility Express network, it must have two or more Cisco 1800 series Access Points. These Access Points should have AP Image type asMOBILITY EXPRESS IMAGE and AP Configuration as MOBILITY EXPRESS CAPABLE. In an event of a failure of Master AP, another Cisco 1800 series AP is elected as a Master automatically. The newly elected Master AP has the same IP and configuration as the original Master AP."

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/technotes/8-2/b_Mobility_Express_Deployment_guide/b_Mobility_Express_Deployment_guide_chapter_01011.html?bookSearch=true

Thanks for your time and your helpful answers anyway !

Good evening,

Baptiste