Redundancy Wireless Network with a 2504 Controller

[b.lamoureux]

I actually own a 2504 controller with 21 AP and 25 licences activated. Version 7.6.130.0

Some AIR-CAP1602E-E-K9 and some older AIR-LAP1131AG-E-K9

If I loose this controller with a hardware failure for example, there is no more Wireless in the whole company site.

I want to have a backup plan if this controller fail. For example, all AP just reboot and link to another available controller, even if there are a few minutes outage

I saw that you can configure in each AP many controllers in High Availability screen (see image attached)

How does it work? If first one is unavailable, AP automatically link to second one?

Can I just buy a second controller with same licences? How do I get same configuration on the second one to recreate Wifi Networks and configuration?

I saw informations about additionnal SKU, some active passive configuration, active/active, but really dont understand what I need to buy and how to proceed to put this in place

[Scott Fella]

My suggestion is to buy a WLC2504-HA sku. This allows you to have a backup without having to buy any license.  You would run this strictly as a backup and connected onto the same network. 

As far as redundancy, you would define the primary and secondary controller in each AP and then also define the mobility group. 

Here is a link that will help you understand AP failover. 

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless-mobility/wireless-lan-wlan/69639-wlc-failover.html

-Scott

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[b.lamoureux]

is this the passive controller which can only be active during 60 days waiting for replacement of failed controller?

Saw Something like this, but no documentation on how switch back ton a real controller. (If the first one is out of order, you just buy time but you still not have a solution)

[Scott Fella]

The HA is a backup controller and should be only used for a backup. If you plan on having APs join for a long period of time and or you want to maybe put some AP's on one and the other AP's on the other, then get a WLC with license. There is a nag message you will get after 60 or 90 days if you keep AP's on that long. Again, the HA sku is for backup purposes only. 

-Scott 

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