Moving wireless controllers to another site

[Kagemaru_87]

I am planning to move our WLC's (5508) from a branch site to HQ so that all branch site APs will just report centrally in the HQ.

There are two WLCs working as Active/Standby. Plan is to move one then the other. Any plans, tips or advise on how I could accomplish this?

I am not really inclined with wireless.

[Scott Fella · Accepted solution]

Its pretty simple... You move one and make changes to that WLC (IP address, etc) and then configure the mobility group to reflect the new ip address of the WLC.  Then you would change the ap's primary wlc to be that of the one that will stay (just in case) and set the secondary to the one that will move.  Verify that the mobility is up between the two WLC's after you move the on to HQ.  When you have connectivity between the two WLC's and the mobility is up, go ahead an set the primary to one of the AP's to the WLC at HQ's and the secondary to the WLC that didn't move.  If the AP's joins the WLC at the HQ, you are good to go to make the changes to all the other AP's (of course if you have enough license).  Then do the same procedure with the other WLC.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk722/tk809/technologies_configuration_example09186a008064a294.shtml

[wmeech]

Hi Scott
I am moving a HA pair of 5508 WLC from a branch to our main campus. This HA pair run the wifi for 5 small campuses (170 APs).
I decided to follow your advice in this chat room "Moving wireless controllers to another site" dated 2012. I have no 5508 training but am finding my way (slowly and cautiously as my client is very outage averse).
I have already moved the secondary HA unit to the new site and changed management and mobility addresses. Mobility come up OK. I changed two APs primary WLC and they started working fine. BUT: This is where I got confused. My mobile device still got an IP address from the branch campus. I see now that this is a function of mobility (In fact I see Mobility works very well as we had a power outage and all the APs affected associated with the WLC I moved.)
However, I want to test using the main campus Internet connection so figured I could do this by changing the WLC I moved from Secondary to Primary Redundancy. I tried this but I just got locked out and put into maintenance mode. I have reverted this back to Secondary now but am not sure how to proceed.

So my question is: What do I need to do to test via the WLC I moved using the main campus Internet connection.
I have considered disabling mobility, or changing redundancy from Secondary to Primary, but am really flying blind here so you help would be much appreciated.

Warren

[Leo Laohoo]

There are two WLCs working as Active/Standby.

I've got something to blow your socks off ... Read this:  Always-On Mobile Experience with Wi-Fi

Impending firmware version 7.3.X release is very, very, very soon.

Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Configuration Guide, Release 7.3

[Scott Fella]

Yeah... and you only have to get license for one WLC not both.  So will it be cheaper... hmmmm

Thanks,

Scott

Help out other by using the rating system and marking answered questions as "Answered"

[Leo Laohoo]

and you only have to get license for one WLC not both. 

Exactly!

Now how is Cisco going to make money out of that, I have no idea.

But the potential of the "sub-second AP stateful switch over" is mind-boggling!

[Scott Fella]

I've always liked having APs on both because you never know when your primary might fail and then find out your secondary wasn't working:)

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPhone App

[Leo Laohoo]

Scott,

You can now download 7.3.101.0 TODAY!

[Scott Fella]

Yeah... Im actually testing it out to see what's broke:) Of course nothing is.

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPhone App

[mscherting]

Reading the 7.3.101.0 release notes today I opted out.  I don't even have NCS 1.1.1.24 fully implemented and it's already obsolete.

Upgrading to Controller Software Release 7.3.101.0

Guidelines and Limitations

•The 7.3.101.0 controller software release is not compatible with Cisco Prime Network Control System (NCS) 1.1.1.24. Cisco Prime Infrastructure 1.2 is required to support the new features in controllers introduced in the 7.3.101.0 controller software release. Cisco Prime Infrastructure 1.2 is the subsequent version of Cisco Prime Network Control System (NCS) 1.1.1.24

[Kagemaru_87]

I guess have it on both. Half will be primary on the other but with that setup.

[wmeech]

Hi all
I am also planning to move our WLC's (5508) from a branch site to a central site.

There are two WLCs working as Active/Standby. I plan is to move both controllers together. It will take me 3-4 hours for move the controillers and get them up again.

I am wondering about the behaviour of the APs once the controllers are removed.
Will the APs continue polling DNS for a new controller address? I don't want to go power cycle all 170 APs.
Any tips would be much appreciated.