WEBVTT 1 00:00.000 --> 00:05.240 There are many different deployment models that we might consider when we are 2 00:05.240 --> 00:05.940 deploying 3 00:05.940 --> 00:07.860 our wireless architecture. 4 00:07.860 --> 00:12.020 And this has to do specifically with, again, the wireless LAN controller 5 00:12.020 --> 00:12.780 location, but 6 00:12.780 --> 00:19.420 it also determines the number of wireless LAN controllers we're going to deploy 7 00:19.420 --> 00:19.460 . 8 00:19.460 --> 00:25.100 So let's just start with the first model, which is the centralized model. 9 00:25.100 --> 00:30.480 In a centralized model, we are ideally going to just deploy a single redundant WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 9 00:25.100 --> 00:30.480 In a centralized model, we are ideally going to just deploy a single redundant 10 00:30.480 --> 00:31.220 wireless 11 00:31.220 --> 00:33.380 LAN controller instance. 12 00:33.380 --> 00:37.060 Now with redundancy, we have two choices. 13 00:37.060 --> 00:40.950 We could deploy two separate wireless LAN controllers and some amount of access 14 00:40.950 --> 00:41.420 points 15 00:41.420 --> 00:44.860 connect to one, some amount of access points connect to the other, and if one 16 00:44.860 --> 00:45.180 of these 17 00:45.180 --> 00:49.710 goes down, then we hope to swing those access points from the first down to the 18 00:49.710 --> 00:50.400 second. 19 00:50.400 --> 00:51.860 There are a lot of challenges with this. 20 00:51.860 --> 00:56.300 For example, if I'm deploying a redundant pair, each of these needs to have not 21 00:56.300 --> 00:56.820 only the 22 00:56.820 --> 01:01.820 hardware, but the licensing for full support. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 22 00:56.820 --> 01:01.820 hardware, but the licensing for full support. 23 01:01.820 --> 01:05.300 Because if one of them goes down and we don't have the ability to support all 24 01:05.300 --> 01:06.020 of the access 25 01:06.020 --> 01:09.540 points, then it wasn't a very redundant model. 26 01:09.540 --> 01:14.290 This is more of a legacy type of architecture because it was just what we had 27 01:14.290 --> 01:14.920 to do for a 28 01:14.920 --> 01:16.260 long time. 29 01:16.260 --> 01:22.720 But now Cisco does support the concept of a high availability pair, meaning 30 01:22.720 --> 01:23.460 that I still 31 01:23.460 --> 01:27.680 have to spec out the hardware that's going to be able to support all of the 32 01:27.680 --> 01:29.140 access points. 33 01:29.140 --> 01:30.900 But there's a couple of interesting changes. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 33 01:29.140 --> 01:30.900 But there's a couple of interesting changes. 34 01:30.900 --> 01:35.560 First of all, I deploy both of these sets of hardware together and then I 35 01:35.560 --> 01:36.540 connect them 36 01:36.540 --> 01:45.070 in a special way so that they are one configuration and ultimately one logical 37 01:45.070 --> 01:46.220 wireless LAN controller. 38 01:46.220 --> 01:51.830 This fits that conversation we had earlier about Stackwise Virtual, Stackable 39 01:51.830 --> 01:53.060 Switches, Chassis 40 01:53.060 --> 01:54.060 Switches. 41 01:54.060 --> 01:58.480 We're combining two physical components into one logical one, meaning that I 42 01:58.480 --> 01:58.900 only have 43 01:58.900 --> 02:00.380 to configure one. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 43 01:58.900 --> 02:00.380 to configure one. 44 02:00.380 --> 02:02.980 I only have to license one. 45 02:02.980 --> 02:07.620 And at that point, if all of these access points that are connecting to the 46 02:07.620 --> 02:08.420 primary, if 47 02:08.420 --> 02:12.930 the primary fails, then they will automatically switch over to the secondary 48 02:12.930 --> 02:13.660 because it's 49 02:13.660 --> 02:14.660 one configuration. 50 02:14.660 --> 02:17.420 It's using the exact same IP address. 51 02:17.420 --> 02:21.450 Whereas before, each of these were independent and they each needed their own 52 02:21.450 --> 02:22.260 IP address. 53 02:22.260 --> 02:26.960 So the HA pair is a wonderful way to deploy a centralized model because I can 54 02:26.960 --> 02:28.220 deploy again 55 02:28.220 --> 02:32.300 one logical wireless LAN controller. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 55 02:28.220 --> 02:32.300 one logical wireless LAN controller. 56 02:32.300 --> 02:37.810 And I just connect all of the access points into in my entire environment back 57 02:37.810 --> 02:38.300 to this 58 02:38.300 --> 02:39.860 central pair. 59 02:39.860 --> 02:46.260 So, yeah, I guess as we talk about the pros and cons, the pros of this is it's 60 02:46.260 --> 02:47.380 very simple, 61 02:47.380 --> 02:50.420 especially simple to manage. 62 02:50.420 --> 02:54.620 Management, simple to management, simple to manage. 63 02:54.620 --> 03:01.460 But the cons is the location concept, which is where are we going to deploy WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 63 02:54.620 --> 03:01.460 But the cons is the location concept, which is where are we going to deploy 64 03:01.460 --> 03:02.340 this? 65 03:02.340 --> 03:07.460 The previous conversation there, we said that maybe it makes sense to deploy 66 03:07.460 --> 03:08.180 this into 67 03:08.180 --> 03:11.970 the data center, except it doesn't because we don't want the wireless clients 68 03:11.970 --> 03:12.340 living in 69 03:12.340 --> 03:13.340 the data center. 70 03:13.340 --> 03:15.260 So, where are we going to deploy it? 71 03:15.260 --> 03:19.860 Well, I could deploy it into one of my distribution closets, but I might have 72 03:19.860 --> 03:21.220 lots of distribution 73 03:21.220 --> 03:24.820 closets and network blocks in the network. 74 03:24.820 --> 03:28.710 And so, this works well for the local access points here to connect to the 75 03:28.710 --> 03:29.460 distribution 76 03:29.460 --> 03:30.660 LAN connect. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 76 03:29.460 --> 03:30.660 LAN connect. 77 03:30.660 --> 03:34.780 But now all of the access points over here need to come over to this other 78 03:34.780 --> 03:35.460 building in 79 03:35.460 --> 03:38.380 order to access the wireless LAN controller. 80 03:38.380 --> 03:39.380 Does this work? 81 03:39.380 --> 03:44.140 Sure, it does work, but all of the wireless stations out here are now going to 82 03:44.140 --> 03:44.860 belong to 83 03:44.860 --> 03:48.860 subnets that are attached to this distribution layer. 84 03:48.860 --> 03:53.480 So, it centralizes, yeah, the hardware and the management of that hardware and 85 03:53.480 --> 03:53.980 that's 86 03:53.980 --> 03:58.540 great, but also centralizes our wireless subnets. 87 03:58.540 --> 04:04.320 So, all the wireless subnets in our entire organization now live logically in WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 87 03:58.540 --> 04:04.320 So, all the wireless subnets in our entire organization now live logically in 88 04:04.320 --> 04:05.420 one location. 89 04:05.420 --> 04:10.140 So, this might lead us to the distributed model. 90 04:10.140 --> 04:14.340 The distributed model is going to flip the centralized model on its head. 91 04:14.340 --> 04:18.780 It's going to allow us to have many wireless LAN controllers and these wireless 92 04:18.780 --> 04:19.820 LAN controllers 93 04:19.820 --> 04:24.220 are going to be smaller because they're only going to service their own sites. 94 04:24.220 --> 04:28.500 So, again, imagine that I have multiple distribution blocks. 95 04:28.500 --> 04:30.180 Maybe I have three different locations. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 95 04:28.500 --> 04:30.180 Maybe I have three different locations. 96 04:30.180 --> 04:36.860 These are all my distribution locations, so I deploy a HA pair into each one of 97 04:36.860 --> 04:37.500 these 98 04:37.500 --> 04:39.100 distribution layers. 99 04:39.100 --> 04:46.140 Now, the advantage to this is that my access points here can connect up to 100 04:46.140 --> 04:47.580 their local distribution 101 04:47.580 --> 04:51.380 layer to communicate with the wireless LAN controller. 102 04:51.380 --> 04:55.870 Furthermore, all of the wireless stations that are downstream here, all of the 103 04:55.870 --> 04:56.460 stations 104 04:56.460 --> 05:02.580 also attach to subnets that belong to the specific location. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 104 04:56.460 --> 05:02.580 also attach to subnets that belong to the specific location. 105 05:02.580 --> 05:07.940 And so, this really fixes a lot of our issues with the logical side of things. 106 05:07.940 --> 05:12.250 For example, the wireless subnets living in a different place and potential 107 05:12.250 --> 05:12.780 latency 108 05:12.780 --> 05:15.900 issues trying to communicate to another location. 109 05:15.900 --> 05:21.880 The downside to this is that I as the admin now have to log in to lots of 110 05:21.880 --> 05:22.980 wireless LAN 111 05:22.980 --> 05:28.020 controllers and manage many configurations. 112 05:28.020 --> 05:33.750 And this can make us as an admin very, very sad because now we have to manage WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 112 05:28.020 --> 05:33.750 And this can make us as an admin very, very sad because now we have to manage 113 05:33.750 --> 05:34.460 all of these 114 05:34.460 --> 05:36.500 different configs. 115 05:36.500 --> 05:40.980 The upside to this is that there are software solutions out there, especially 116 05:40.980 --> 05:41.700 in the Cisco 117 05:41.700 --> 05:42.700 world. 118 05:42.700 --> 05:47.610 We can think of Catalyst Center as being an option for us to now manage the 119 05:47.610 --> 05:48.460 software and the 120 05:48.460 --> 05:53.380 software pushes configuration down to all of the controllers for us. 121 05:53.380 --> 05:58.020 But it does, even in that situation, complicate the network a little bit. 122 05:58.020 --> 06:01.580 From a management perspective, we have to manage all of these locations. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 122 05:58.020 --> 06:01.580 From a management perspective, we have to manage all of these locations. 123 06:01.580 --> 06:05.780 We also have to individually manage the licensing and the hardware. 124 06:05.780 --> 06:09.940 And, you know, there's upsides and downsides to both models. 125 06:09.940 --> 06:14.140 We just have to weigh which one we want to really think about. 126 06:14.140 --> 06:20.340 Now on top of all of this, we need to think about our remote sites. 127 06:20.340 --> 06:25.810 Our remote sites usually don't warrant having their own wireless LAN controller 128 06:25.810 --> 06:26.780 on site. 129 06:26.780 --> 06:34.940 For example, I might have a small location that has three access points. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 129 06:26.780 --> 06:34.940 For example, I might have a small location that has three access points. 130 06:34.940 --> 06:37.060 What am I going to do about this small site? 131 06:37.060 --> 06:42.940 I've got a switch that has connection to all of these APs. 132 06:42.940 --> 06:46.750 And this goes through some kind of router and I've got a single wide area 133 06:46.750 --> 06:47.780 network link that 134 06:47.780 --> 06:50.100 takes me back to the rest of the network. 135 06:50.100 --> 06:53.980 Do I need to deploy a very small wireless LAN controller here? 136 06:53.980 --> 06:54.980 Probably not. 137 06:54.980 --> 06:55.980 But I could. 138 06:55.980 --> 06:57.420 I mean, Cisco does make them very small. 139 06:57.420 --> 07:00.180 We could deploy a small wireless LAN controller here. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 139 06:57.420 --> 07:00.180 We could deploy a small wireless LAN controller here. 140 07:00.180 --> 07:05.100 But as we talk about this distributed model, we might already have half a dozen 141 07:05.100 --> 07:05.780 wireless 142 07:05.780 --> 07:07.220 LAN controllers out there. 143 07:07.220 --> 07:10.020 Now I have to deploy one to every one of my remote sites. 144 07:10.020 --> 07:13.740 I could end up with dozens of wireless LAN controllers. 145 07:13.740 --> 07:18.630 So first and foremost, we could connect out to a remote distribution closet or 146 07:18.630 --> 07:19.580 just our 147 07:19.580 --> 07:21.260 centralized option. 148 07:21.260 --> 07:25.740 If we choose that, connect out to wireless LAN controllers that are remote. 149 07:25.740 --> 07:27.180 We can absolutely do that. 150 07:27.180 --> 07:32.290 It will work just fine until what happens in what we said in the last video WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 150 07:27.180 --> 07:32.290 It will work just fine until what happens in what we said in the last video 151 07:32.290 --> 07:33.140 happens where 152 07:33.140 --> 07:34.820 the WAN link goes down. 153 07:34.820 --> 07:39.300 This is where we really could use a local wireless LAN controller because then 154 07:39.300 --> 07:39.940 our access 155 07:39.940 --> 07:45.080 points stay online, which might matter if we have a separate internet circuit 156 07:45.080 --> 07:45.780 here that 157 07:45.780 --> 07:49.500 way users can still get out to the internet even if they can't get to the rest 158 07:49.500 --> 07:50.900 of the network. 159 07:50.900 --> 07:55.290 Now funny enough, that is a conversation because if the internet lives out the 160 07:55.290 --> 07:55.900 WAN link, we 161 07:55.900 --> 07:59.990 could argue that it's not a whole lot of value in maintaining our wireless 162 07:59.990 --> 08:00.860 network at that WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 162 07:59.990 --> 08:00.860 network at that 163 08:00.860 --> 08:02.100 point. 164 08:02.100 --> 08:05.730 Unless we have wireless phones and we need to make emergency calls, but lots of 165 08:05.730 --> 08:06.540 conversations 166 08:06.540 --> 08:10.940 need to be had around the resiliency level that we're expecting. 167 08:10.940 --> 08:14.580 But if we don't want to deploy wireless LAN controller here, we can take 168 08:14.580 --> 08:15.180 advantage of 169 08:15.180 --> 08:20.660 Cisco Flex Connect, which is typically what we want to do in these locations. 170 08:20.660 --> 08:25.210 Flex Connect, as we said before, allows for us to lose the wide area network 171 08:25.210 --> 08:26.060 and the access 172 08:26.060 --> 08:28.740 points stay online. 173 08:28.740 --> 08:34.250 Now if we have a very small remote site or maybe more to the point of very WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 173 08:28.740 --> 08:34.250 Now if we have a very small remote site or maybe more to the point of very 174 08:34.250 --> 08:35.940 small organization, 175 08:35.940 --> 08:39.940 we could technically look at an autonomous solution. 176 08:39.940 --> 08:43.860 This is not the best solution in most cases. 177 08:43.860 --> 08:49.270 Again, each access point has to have its own management and that's not just an 178 08:49.270 --> 08:50.380 IP address, 179 08:50.380 --> 08:51.900 but also radio management. 180 08:51.900 --> 08:58.300 I have to individually manage every channel, the transmit power of every AP. 181 08:58.300 --> 09:03.060 And we said earlier that yeah, this was how we had to do it once upon a time, WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 181 08:58.300 --> 09:03.060 And we said earlier that yeah, this was how we had to do it once upon a time, 182 09:03.060 --> 09:04.580 but really 183 09:04.580 --> 09:06.540 we shouldn't be deploying it today. 184 09:06.540 --> 09:13.140 So this has a place for very, I'm going to say even very small organizations 185 09:13.140 --> 09:14.300 because if we 186 09:14.300 --> 09:18.180 have an organization with fewer than 10 access points, then it might make 187 09:18.180 --> 09:18.940 sensors deploy 188 09:18.940 --> 09:25.480 it to that or deploy an autonomous solution rather than going with deploying an 189 09:25.480 --> 09:26.140 actual 190 09:26.140 --> 09:27.820 lightweight controller. 191 09:27.820 --> 09:31.730 But we might actually prefer to look at another solution, which can apply to WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 191 09:27.820 --> 09:31.730 But we might actually prefer to look at another solution, which can apply to 192 09:31.730 --> 09:32.380 very small 193 09:32.380 --> 09:39.940 and very large deployments and that would be the concept of the cloud. 194 09:39.940 --> 09:44.260 So we do have cloud managed solutions. 195 09:44.260 --> 09:48.200 And at this point, I'm specifically thinking of something like Cisco's Miracchi 196 09:48.200 --> 09:50.180 product line, 197 09:50.180 --> 09:54.820 which allows me to simply connect an access point to the network. 198 09:54.820 --> 09:59.690 And as long as it can get out to the internet, then it can receive its 199 09:59.690 --> 10:01.060 configuration and it WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 199 09:59.690 --> 10:01.060 configuration and it 200 10:01.060 --> 10:06.620 can remain online and all of these things. 201 10:06.620 --> 10:09.260 Now we do not use capwap in this case. 202 10:09.260 --> 10:13.410 So we don't have to worry about our traffic getting tunneled out to wherever 203 10:13.410 --> 10:15.980 the cloud is. 204 10:15.980 --> 10:17.820 And so it simplifies things that way. 205 10:17.820 --> 10:22.520 I don't even have to worry about the hardware and licensing considerations of a 206 10:22.520 --> 10:23.180 wireless 207 10:23.180 --> 10:24.380 LAN controller. 208 10:24.380 --> 10:27.900 I just purchased one license per AP. 209 10:27.900 --> 10:32.300 I plug the APN, it connects up to the wireless system. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 209 10:27.900 --> 10:32.300 I plug the APN, it connects up to the wireless system. 210 10:32.300 --> 10:36.370 And regardless of how many access points I have, I have a single point of 211 10:36.370 --> 10:37.300 management, 212 10:37.300 --> 10:41.500 which makes me as an admin very happy. 213 10:41.500 --> 10:45.100 So the cloud managed solution is actually very popular. 214 10:45.100 --> 10:50.140 Cisco's got both solutions and whether we are trying to figure out what to do 215 10:50.140 --> 10:50.980 with a wireless 216 10:50.980 --> 10:55.580 LAN controller or we just want to go simple and go with cloud managed. 217 10:55.580 --> 10:59.720 Well, it's just going to depend on the organization of what exactly we're 218 10:59.720 --> 11:00.700 looking for. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 218 10:59.720 --> 11:00.700 looking for. 219 11:00.700 --> 11:04.700 But either way, we can take a look at all of these different models and try to 220 11:04.700 --> 11:05.340 figure out 221 11:05.340 --> 11:10.010 what the best model is for our organization, not only based on our size, but 222 11:10.010 --> 11:10.780 also based 223 11:10.780 --> 11:13.820 on the current architecture that we have in our environment.