WLC 5508 - Question on End-Of-Life announcements

[millenski]

Hello,
I would like a little help on defining the End-of-life notices from Cisco in more details. For example we have 5508 WLC covered by SmartNet and according to Cisco's EOL announcement:

Last Date of Support:
App SW

The last date to receive applicable service and support for the product as entitled by active service contracts or by warranty terms and conditions. After this date, all support services for the product are unavailable, and the product becomes obsolete.

July 31, 2021

Last Date of Support:
HW

The last date to receive applicable service and support for the product as entitled by active service contracts or by warranty terms and conditions. After this date, all support services for the product are unavailable, and the product becomes obsolete.

July 31, 2023

Is this meaning after July-31-2021 there will be no new software releases in case of issues or bugs. I guess even if there are any issues that needs Cisco TAC they will assist on troubleshooting or they will gently say the product SW is obsolete?


July-31-2023 - here is the final date, so if the WLC fails there is nothing you can do. Before this date if the device completely goes dead - Cisco will replace it.


I want to define if we should plan new WLC in budget 2021, because for me it is safe to use this device even to the final date of HW support.

Thanks for any comments.


Regards,
Milen

[marce1000]

 - This app will provide additional info :

             https://cway.cisco.com/sncheck/

 M.

[balaji.bandi]

Is this meaning after July-31-2021 there will be no new software releases in case of issues or bugs. I guess even if there are any issues that needs Cisco TAC they will assist on troubleshooting or they will gently say the product SW is obsolete?

BB - yes your understanding correct.

July-31-2023 - here is the final date, so if the WLC fails there is nothing you can do. Before this date if the device completely goes dead - Cisco will replace it.

BB - yes only hardware support if you have smartnet contract.

I want to define if we should plan new WLC in budget 2021, because for me it is safe to use this device even to the final date of HW support.

BB - yes plan for now, so you get plenty of time to cutover and test plan (wireless is big demand in the business)

[patoberli]

Use this site: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/5500-series-wireless-controllers/eos-eol-notice-c51-740221.html

So EoL for Software was on the August 1, 2019, that means no more bugfixes since a year for this WLC.
Security bugs will be fixed until July 31, 2021.

In other words, yes replace it, if possible this year. You also can't anymore buy new access points for this WLC, as all currently sold models require a software release which is not compatible with the 5508. You can still replace (RMA) your old APs with the same models though.

If for example a new bug is discovered which is triggered by a new operating system (Apple I'm looking at your IOS), then this bug will not anymore be fixed and those devices will be unable to connect (or have other issues).