H-REAP vs local AP

e-chuah · ‎09-22-2009

Hi,

(1) I would like to know what is the disadvantage of using H-REAP vs Local AP (AP tunnel back to WLC)?

I have read through the documentation and my conclusion as follows:

H-REAP Pros = conserve bandwidth especially if there is local servers at that site.

H-REAP Cons - sites that are big and has many APs, we want to have roaming, we need to define H-REAP group and each WLC can only support 20 H-REAP group with each H-REAP group having 25 APs. So if i have a pair of WLC supporting regional remote sites, i may potentially run out of H-REAP gorup at the WLC.

(2) my client is considering to deploy two WLC to serve a few remote sites and want to use H-REAP for all sites (so as to standardise the deployment). Smaller remote sites has around 10 APs. Bigger remote sites have around 30-50APs.

Do u forsee any issues if we use H-REAP for all sites?

Any comments greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Eng Wee

jeff.kish · ‎09-22-2009

I do not know of any limitations to HREAP deployment. There were limitations once upon a time, but Cisco has removed those. I have asked Cisco resellers and Cisco themselves about HREAP-only deployments, and neither seem to know of any real disadvantages.

There is one minor disadvantage, and that is that APs must be plugged into a trunk port, just as with autonomous. With LWAPP, you can plug an AP into any port and it (should) find the controller and work. With HREAP, you cannot plug the AP into any old port, it must be a trunk with the correct VLANs allowed. That said, most IT professionals track the ports that APs connect to, and configuring a trunk is relatively simple.

Keep in mind that HREAP will only really conserve bandwidth if there are servers locally, because otherwise the you're going across the WAN link anyway just to get to your apps.

Let me know if you have any more questions. This is a really good subject for discussion.

Jeff

e-chuah · ‎09-22-2009

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the comments.

I totally agree on your points.

That's also what i know so far...

Rgds

reginald-pugh · ‎09-23-2009

If you have access to the Cisco Learning network read this:

https://cisco.hosted.jivesoftware.com/message/33059

e-chuah · ‎09-24-2009

Hi...

Another disadvantage of H-REAP local switching is that it can only support L2 roaming.

I don't think layer 3 can be supported.

Rgds

Eng Wee