Solved: Design question and recommendation

mcaoile · ‎12-15-2013

Hi Experts,

I have an upcoming implementation and I need your advise/recommendation on how to do the implementation. Attached is the network design with the APs and SSIDs. The 2 offices will be connected by fiber and will be L3 connectivity. The WLC will be connected in the new office. APs in the new office will be 'Local mode' and dynamic interfaces will be created for WLANs in the new office. For the old office, will the APs be in 'HREAP/Flexconnect mode'?

Any recommendation/advise will be highly apprciated.

Regards,

Manuelito

Scott Fella · ‎12-16-2013

Typically I would deploy the old office as FlexConnect local switching and the new office as local mode. Makes the most sense in many environments. The only reason why you would put the old office also as local mode is if you have the bandwidth and if all resources have to come back to the new office, like printing, etc.

Thanks,

Scott

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-Scott
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Rasika Nayanajith · ‎12-16-2013

What is the typial dealy between these two site across your 1G fibre (is it ~ 10ms ?). Then it is like two buildings just L3 hop away & should not have any performance concerns over WAN.

Anyway you have the FlexConnect & Local mode options here. Keep in mind FlexConnect is not feature-rich as local mode.

I am more towards Local mode deployment, if delay & bandwidth is not a concern.

HTH

Rasika

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Leo Laohoo · ‎12-16-2013

Manualito,

The underlying question I would like to get out of the way is what bandwidth do you have with your fibre optic? Is the link a full 1Gbps (or more)?

If the answer is yes, then why go FlexConnect? Configure the APs as local.

The only time you'd want to use FlexConnect is when you have a bandwidth limitation with your WAN link and you want to minimize the chatter between your APs and your WLC.

View solution in original post

Leo Laohoo · ‎12-16-2013

The 2 offices will be connected by fiber and will be L3 connectivity.

If you own the fibre and you have a 1 Gbps (or more), why do you want to put the AP in FlexConnect?

mcaoile · ‎12-16-2013

Hi Leo,

Am not sure on how the implementation will be done. Am thinking that the old office will be considered as remote with L3 connectivity.

If APs in the old office will be in 'Local mode', then I have to create a separate dynamic interfaces for the users in the old office and do AP Groups?

The way to approach the implementation is to create different Dynamic interfaces for users in the new office and old office, create the WLANs (Sales/Emp/Guest/Voice), do AP Groups and map the respective dynamic interfaces to the APs. Is this approach correct? Or is there a better way how to do it?

Regards,

Manuelito

Scott Fella · ‎12-16-2013

Typically I would deploy the old office as FlexConnect local switching and the new office as local mode. Makes the most sense in many environments. The only reason why you would put the old office also as local mode is if you have the bandwidth and if all resources have to come back to the new office, like printing, etc.

Thanks,

Scott

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

-Scott
*** Please rate helpful posts ***

Leo Laohoo · ‎12-16-2013

Manualito,

The underlying question I would like to get out of the way is what bandwidth do you have with your fibre optic? Is the link a full 1Gbps (or more)?

If the answer is yes, then why go FlexConnect? Configure the APs as local.

The only time you'd want to use FlexConnect is when you have a bandwidth limitation with your WAN link and you want to minimize the chatter between your APs and your WLC.

mcaoile · ‎12-16-2013

Hi Leo,

The link is 1Gbps Full Duplex.

Thanks for the recommendation. If you can just confirm the steps that I'll do to configure the WLC will be highly appreciated.

The way to approach the implementation is to create different Dynamic interfaces for users in the new office and old office, create the WLANs (Sales/Emp/Guest/Voice), do AP Groups and map the respective dynamic interfaces to the APs. Is this approach correct?

Regards,

Leo Laohoo · ‎12-16-2013

Should be fine.

mcaoile · ‎12-16-2013

Leo/Scott/Rasika

Thamks for all your recommendations/advices

Manuelito

Rasika Nayanajith · ‎12-16-2013

What is the typial dealy between these two site across your 1G fibre (is it ~ 10ms ?). Then it is like two buildings just L3 hop away & should not have any performance concerns over WAN.

Anyway you have the FlexConnect & Local mode options here. Keep in mind FlexConnect is not feature-rich as local mode.

I am more towards Local mode deployment, if delay & bandwidth is not a concern.

HTH

Rasika

**** Pls rate all useful responses *****

mcaoile · ‎12-16-2013

Hi Rasika,

Have no idea what is the delay between this 2 sites as I have not yet seen the old office.

Regards,

Manuelito

Scott Fella · ‎12-17-2013

I have campus sites that have there own fiber or sites that have a GigaMAN connection in which I run AP's in local mode. The design question you need to answer is, can your link support the number of access points and client connection if the AP's are in local mode. Like the others mentioned, FlexConnect doesn't have the same features as AP's in local mode, but if your not going to require those futures, FlexConnect might be a better choice. How does traffic flow... if you have resources in each building, then local mode might not be what you want, since traffic is tunneled back to the WLc and then routed back to the site. Understanding the traffic flow and your links, will help decide on what your design should be.

-Scott
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