WLC 5520 and N + 1 Licensig

[MUQ_1899_]

Hello! 

WLC 5520 has not HA-SKU unit. What license should I buy if I want to use a second controller for secondary N+1 unit?

Do I have to buy 2 x AIR-CT5520-50-K9 or 1 x AIR-CT5520-50-K9 and 1 x AIR-CT5520-K9 and use AIR-CT5520-K9 as a secondary? There is documentation that states that this scenario is possible for HA SSO, but what about N+1 ?

[hypnotoad]

The is no HA SKU for the newer controllers.  For SSO you need only one license per WAP.  N+1 (used across multiple sites for example) would need one license for each controller.  This ends up costing you double in licensing. Yuk!

You might want to look into the new Smart Licensing. This allows you to pool your licenses on a central cloud based license portal.  The controllers check in from time to time and grab just what is in use by WAPs.  This is a very cost effective way to deploy N+1.  You would only need one license per WAP regardless of how many controllers you have. This is a pretty new feature. You need to run 8.2 or better on you controllers.  See the link below.

http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/8500-series-wireless-controllers/q-and-a-c67-736416.pdf

--Patrick