Moving a 5508 WLC from our DC to a Branch Site

[mirrorturtle]

Hey all, my team and I have been contracted out by a regional MSP to perform some network moves and I have been asked to head it up as our main network guy is taking an extended vacation. I have a few questions as I want to ensure success.

We are moving a Cisco wireless controller (5508) from a clients data center to one of our clients site branches. The only devices on the controllers are APs at this site. The controllers are an HA pair and we plan to move 1 first, then the 2nd after confirming success. I’m fairly confident in the task but I want to ensure my first project goes well. I have a tentative plan below with some gaps I need filled, and also looking for feedback on anything else I should lookout/plan for. Thanks

My tentative plan is - 

• Backup Config

• Change IP of Controller to match new subnet

• Adjust Mobility Groups so controllers can talk between different sites/subnets (routing is already in place between sites)

• Adjust CAPWAP? (not sure about this, may not need to do until 2nd controller moves)

• No more Flexconnect?

  • Does it need to be in local mode?

• DHCP needs to be local to controller or relayed over SDWAN..?

• Change HA on APs to match new controller IP

• Test

[marce1000]

 - A more  general reply only : review the new configuration of 5508 the controller using instructions from WirelessAnalyzer input (procedure) for AireOs controllers    and feed the output from that into : Wireless Config Analyzer

 M.

[PradeepSingh]

Hi @mirrorturtle from your explanation, my understanding is you have been tasked to move a flex connect controller hosted in DC to branch location. And in the existing state this controller is serving access point only for this branch ? Next question, Are all SSIDs have flexconnect(local) switching ? In other words there are SVIs already exists in branch office for all SSIDs ? In this situation I don't think there is any advantage of using Flexconnect switching. Having local switching will be a better solution since you have a local controller. These are the steps I can recommend:

- Remove standby controller from existing HA pair.

- Move the 2nd controller to branch and restore/update the configuration. You will required to change management IP address. Also WLAN config need to be updated and disable flexconnect switching.

- Extend client vlans to the controller. 

- Map appropriate interface to WLANs either in WLAN globally or in AP group.

- Move one access point and change it to local mode. Perform testing of all WLAN.

- Once all WLANs are tested ok you can move all access points to new controller. You can set new controller as primary in high availability or update DHCP option accodingly and then reboot access points.

- Once all access point are migrated to new controller, you can move the old primary controller and add in HA as standby.

- If you go with this plan, APs in local mode just need management vlan on interface connected to switch. So it is recommended you clean up clint vlan from switches and ports to avoid unnecessary broadcast flooding in lan.