Cisco Catalyst Wi-Fi controllers simplify the administration of wireless networks by unifying the deployment and control of wireless APs, tuning wireless performance by mitigating the impact of RF interference, improving wireless availability with fast zero-touch failover, and improving data protection by identifying attacks and filtering content according to user class and location.

Cisco Catalyst Wi-Fi Controller Experts

Cisco's Prime Infrastructure architecture unifies the management of wired and Wi-Fi networks

Catalyst wireless controllers operate with Cisco's Prime Infrastructure platform, which supports as many as Wi-Fi 18,000 Wi-Fi APs and 64,000 clients. Cisco Wi-Fi controllers are available at prices and with feature sets for environments ranging from small offices to large enterprises and school campuses. Catalyst 802.11ac wireless controllers and APs are engineered to deliver the same degree of protection, throughput and management ease that organizations demand in their wired networks. Catalyst wireless controller technology incorporates built-in mobility functions such as VoIP, high-definition video, and safe access for guests. Cisco's Prime Infrastructure allows organizations to create environments that combine wired and Wi-Fi infrastructure into a unified connectivity solution that produces maximum business value.

Progent's Cisco-certified Wi-Fi consultants can assist you to assess the advantages of using Catalyst Wi-Fi controllers to manage Wi-Fi deployments of any scale. Progent can assist you to maintain and troubleshoot your current wireless environment or help you plan and carry out a smooth migration from legacy wireless controllers to current models.

Cisco Catalyst Wi-Fi Controller Integration Consultants

Modern Catalyst Wi-Fi controllers offer speed, capacity, and protection

Progent's Cisco-certified wireless network consultants offer cost-effective remote consulting across the U.S. and Canada to help you to deploy and manage wireless solutions. Progent also offers onsite consulting in major metro areas in the U.S. and in Toronto, Canada. In addition, Progent can provide low-cost online and onsite Wi-Fi site surveys to assist your company to plan and install a Wi-Fi environment with efficient AP selection and placement to match your particular workplace layout, building structure, client density, and application workloads.

Cisco Wave 2 Wireless LAN Controllers
Cisco Wave 2 Wi-Fi controllers enable fast data exchange, configuration, control, analysis and debugging for Cisco Wi-Fi appliances and services. Cisco offers both physical and software-based Wi-Fi controllers for unified administration of WiFi environments, but networks with a large number of wireless APs are better served by physical Wi-Fi controllers. Current generation wireless controller appliances from Cisco deliver major benefits over Wave 1 and older models including higher throughput, simultaneous support for both 1G and 10G Ethernet, improved application visibility and control (AVC), and hardened, integrated protection.

Cisco 3504 Wi-Fi Controller Integration ConsultingCisco's 3504 WiFi Controller is a value-priced appliance with a desktop body and intended for small and medium-sized organizations. You can use the 3504 in a centralized network architecture such as in lean branch and home-based offices managed over the WAN via Cisco FlexConnect, or in bridge deployments where Ethernet cabling is sparse. The 3504 Wi-Fi controller can handle as many as 150 APs and 3,000 client users, delivers 4 Gbps throughput, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 3504 wireless controller features a Cisco Multigigabit interface and four 1-GB Ethernet interfaces. Access points can be connected to the controller through two Power over Ethernet ports. The 3504 wireless controller features subsecond failover for APs and users, which allows nonstop availability for apps. Like other current Wave 2 wireless controllers from Cisco, the 3504 device has the integrated ability to communicate with Cisco Prime Infrastructure, Cisco Mobility Services Engine, and Cisco 5520 and 8540 WiFi controllers.

Cisco 5520 Wireless Controller Integration ConsultingThe Cisco 5520 Wireless Controller, offered in a 1 rack unit package, is intended for larger organizations and campus environments and can be used in centralized, distributed, and mesh deployments. The 5520 Wi-Fi controller supports as many as 1,500 wireless APs and 20,000 clients, delivers 20 Gbps performance, and supports 4,096 VLANs. The 5520 wireless controller includes two 10 GE ports and incorporates solid-state storage, backup fans, optional backup power supplies, and subsecond failover for uninterrupted availability.

Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller Configuration ConsultingThe Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller, available in a 2 rack unit (RU) package, is a high-end WiFi controller intended to support large enterprises, service providers, and large campus environments. The 8540 WiFi controller can be run in centralized, distributed, and mesh deployments and supports up to 6,000 APs and 64,000 users. The 8540 Wireless controller offers throughput as high as 40 Gbps and supports 4,096 VLANs. The 8340 includes four 1-GB or 10GE ports and features solid-state storage, redundant power supplies, backup fans, and subsecond failover.

Wave 1 Cisco WiFi Network Controllers
Wireless LAN Controllers Configuration and Support ConsultingCisco wireless controllers reduce the effort and cost needed to deploy, monitor, and troubleshoot wireless networks by centralizing control of tasks such as provisioning APs, enforcing consistent policies across wired/wireless LANs, supporting enterprise-wide Quality of Service for voice and HD video, monitoring and troubleshooting system performance, implementing intrusion prevention capabilities to defend against unauthorized access and DoS threats, and handling IPv6 clients. Cisco has designed wireless LAN controllers for organizations of any size and offers desktop or rackmount appliances, modular add-on controllers for Cisco ISR routers and Catalyst switches, and Catalyst switches with built-in wireless controllers.

Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Module Online Consulting ServicesCisco's Wave 1 WiFi controllers include Cisco CleanAir tools to avoid signal interference and create self-healing and self-optimizing wireless LANs for top 802.11n and 802.11ac performance and security. Integrated Bonjour Gateways allow discovery, advertisement and policy throughout the enterprise for Apple-based applications. For high availability (HA), Cisco wireless LAN controllers allow access point and client stateful switchover by permitting a backup HA wireless controller to synchronize with a main controller for access point license tabulation, CAPWAP state and roaming keys, and access point CAPWAP state. In case the main wireless controller stops working, thousands of APs and wireless clients can failover in less than a second to the backup wireless LAN controller.

Cisco's Wireless Controller Module for ISR G2 Routers with UCS-E offers basic 802.11n and 802.11ac capability for 2900 and 3900 Series routers deployed by smaller organizations and satellite offices. This value-priced and expandable solution can support up to 200 APs and as many as 6000 wireless clients. (To learn concerning Progent's online and onsite consulting and troubleshooting support services for Cisco routers, refer to Cisco router deployment and management consulting.)

Catalyst 3650 Series are 1RU switches designed for SMBs and branch offices and come with an integrated wireless controller with the ability to handle 40 Gb of wireless throughput for each switch and up to 25 wireless access points and 1000 clients on each switch. Catalyst 3850 Series are 1RU switches designed for mid-size businesses and large enterprises and include a built-in wireless LAN controller with up to 40 Gb of wireless throughput per switch and support for 50 access points and 2000 wireless clients. The WiSM2 is an add-in blade for Catalyst 6500 Series switches that include an integrated wireless controller intended for mid-to-large size enterprises and capable of 20 Gbps performance and able to handle 1000 APs and up to 15,000 wireless clients. (For information about Progent's consulting services for Cisco switches, see Catalyst switches configuration and troubleshooting consulting.)

Cisco 2500 Wireless Controllers are entry-level desktop appliances that streamline the deployment and operation of Wi-Fi networks for small and midsize businesses and branches. The Cisco 2500 wireless network controller can manage from five to 75 APs and up to 1000 clients and offers sustained data rates of up to 1 Gbps.

Cisco Wireless Network Controllers Consulting ServicesCisco's 5500 Wireless Controller is a scalable 1RU appliance designed for medium-sized to large businesses and campus environments and can manage up to 500 access points and 7,000 clients while providing 8 Gbps throughput. Cisco's 5760 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU appliance designed for mid-to-large campuses with the ability to manage up to 1000 access points and 12,000 wireless clients and delivering performance of 60 Gbps to accommodate high client densities and high amounts of video-intensive mobile applications.

The Cisco Flex 7500 Wireless Controller is designed to enable centralized management of thousands of wireless remote sites from one datacenter, avoiding the need for a Wi-Fi controller at each branch. The 1RU Flex 7500 lets you build a private cloud to deploy, track, manage, and repair up to 6000 access points and 64,000 clients while supporting 1 Gbps performance. The Cisco 8500 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU rackmount device engineered to monitor and control wireless environments for very large campuses or for service providers and can be expanded to handle up to 6000 wireless points and up to 64,000 wireless clients while delivering 10 Gbps performance.

Legacy Cisco Wireless Network Controllers
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers ConsultantsCisco Wireless Controllers provide single-point management of wireless networks by simplifying the control of common technologies such as integrated intrusion prevention system (IPS), real-time RF control, zero touch configuration, and N+1 redundancy. Cisco Wireless Network controllers operate with small wireless access points to deliver enhanced throughput and advanced administration capabilities.

WLAN Controllers provide the manageability, expandability, protection, and reliability that system managers need to create safe, large-scale wireless solutions, from branch offices to small businesses to headquarter campuses. Cisco's first-generation WLCs can be clustered to provide accommodation for as many as 2400 wireless access points per roaming domain.

The Cisco WLCM or WLCM-E Controller Module for Integrated Services Routers provides small-to medium businesses (SMBs) and large corporations an economical way to deploy and control protected WLANs at satellite locations. These wireless LAN controllers manage up to a dozen Aironet APs and are installable in 2800/3800 Series IS Routers and 3700 Series Integrated Services Routers. (To learn about Progent's remote and on-premises support for Cisco routers, see Cisco router configuration and troubleshooting services.)

How Progent's Consultants Can Assist You with Cisco Catalyst Wi-Fi Controllers
Progent can provide a Cisco-certified expert to assist you to design, deploy, manage and troubleshoot a converged wired and wireless ecosystem integrating a wide array of wireless products that offer the identical protection, expandability, and manageability you demand from your wired environment. Progent can assist you to manage early-generation wireless products from Cisco or migrate efficiently to the latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology. Progent's CISM, CISSP, and ISSAP security consultants can show you how to build security into your wireless network and your business operations. Progent's disaster recovery planning consultants and business continuity planning consultants can show you how to deploy the high availability (HA) technology built into Cisco's wireless and wired products so your converged network delivers continuing return on investment.

Progent’s Wireless Site Survey assists you to design and deploy a robust WLAN optimized for your environment, providing a Wi-Fi solution that provides comprehensive coverage, high performance and capacity, QoS to handle IP voice and video, advanced security, and streamlined management. Progent's Wireless Site Survey can be performed online to cut time and expense, or on premises for more difficult facilities.

For a further discussion of Progent's wireless consulting services, see Progent's Wireless LAN Support Services.

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Contact Progent for Consulting Expertise for Catalyst Wi-Fi Controllers
To learn more about Progent's consulting services for installing, managing and debugging Cisco Catalyst Wi-Fi Controllers, call 1-800-993-9400 or visit Contact Progent.