Wireless Consulting Services

Cisco Catalyst Wi-Fi controllers streamline the administration of wireless networks by unifying the deployment and management of Wi-Fi APs, tuning wireless performance by reducing the effects of RF interference, improving Wi-Fi uptime with rapid zero-touch failover, and tightening data protection by identifying threats and filtering content based on user class and location.

Cisco Catalyst Wi-Fi controllers work with Cisco's Prime Infrastructure architecture, which supports up to Wi-Fi 18,000 wireless APs and 64,000 users. Catalyst Wi-Fi controllers are offered at price points and with feature sets for venues from small offices to enterprises and school campuses. Catalyst 802.11ac Wave 2 Wi-Fi controllers and APs are designed to deliver the same degree of protection, performance and manageability that organizations demand in their wired networks. Cisco wireless controller technology incorporates built-in mobility services like VoIP, HD video, and secure access for guest clients. Cisco's Prime Infrastructure allows you to build environments that combine wired and wireless resources into a centrally managed connectivity ecosystem that delivers maximum business value.

Progent's certified wireless experts can help your organization to evaluate the advantages of adopting Catalyst Wi-Fi controllers to manage wireless deployments of any scale. Progent can assist you to maintain and debug your current Wi-Fi network or help you design and carry out an efficient migration from legacy wireless controllers to modern models.

Progent's Cisco-certified Wi-Fi network consultants can provide cost-effective online consulting throughout the U.S. and Canada to assist you to create and refine wireless solutions. Progent also offers onsite support in major metro areas across the U.S. and in Toronto, Canada. In addition, Progent offers economical remote and on-premises Wi-Fi site surveys to assist your company to design and implement a wireless network with optimal access point selection and placement to match your specific office environment, building structure, client density, and application workloads.

Cisco Wave 2 802.11ac WiFi Network Controllers
Cisco Wave 2 Wi-Fi controllers enable realtime communication, provisioning, management, monitoring and debugging for Cisco Wi-Fi appliances and services. Cisco has developed both hardware and software-based Wi-Fi controllers for centralized management of wireless environments, but WLANs with many Wi-Fi APs typically require hardware-based wireless controllers. Current generation Wi-Fi controller appliances from Cisco deliver major advantages in comparison to Wave 1 and older models such as greater throughput, simultaneous support for both 1G and 10G interfaces, improved application visibility and control, and advanced, integrated security.

The Cisco 3504 Wireless Controller is an entry-level device with a desktop enclosure and intended for smaller organizations. You can install the 3504 model in a centralized WLAN architecture such as in small branch and remote offices managed across the wide-area network via FlexConnect, or in bridge installations where Ethernet cabling is sparse. The 3504 wireless controller can handle up to 150 access points and 3,000 clients, delivers 4 Gbps performance, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. Cisco's 3504 wireless controller includes a Cisco Multigigabit port (up to 5 Gigabit Ethernet) and four 1-GB Ethernet ports. APs can be connected to the WiFi controller via two Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports. The 3504 Wi-Fi controller features fast failover for APs and users, which provides nonstop availability for applications. As with other current Wave 2 Wi-Fi controllers available from Cisco, the 3504 model has the integrated ability to communicate with Cisco Prime Infrastructure, Cisco Mobility Services Engine, and Cisco 5520 and 8540 WLAN controllers.

The Cisco 5520 Wireless Controller, offered in a 1 rack unit form factor, is designed to support larger organizations and campus networks and can be used in centralized, distributed, and mesh architectures. The 5520 wireless controller can handle as many as 1,500 APs and 20,000 users, offers 20 Gbps throughput, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 5520 WiFi controller includes two 10 GE ports and incorporates SSD storage, backup fans, optional dual power supplies, and rapid failover for uninterrupted availability.

Cisco's 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 used in centralized, distributed, and mesh deployments and supports as many as 6,000 access points and 64,000 clients. The 8540 WiFi controller offers throughput as high as 40 Gbps and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 8340 includes four 1-GB or 10GE ports and features solid-state storage, backup power supplies, backup fans, and subsecond failover.

Wave 1 Cisco WiFi LAN Controllers
Cisco wireless network controllers cut the effort and expense needed to configure, monitor, and troubleshoot Wi-Fi networks by offering single-point control of critical tasks like provisioning access points, applying single-point policies across converged wired and wireless LANs, supporting enterprise-wide Quality of Service (QoS) for IP voice and HD video, monitoring and troubleshooting network health, implementing wireless intrusion prevention system (wIPS) capabilities to guard against cyber break-ins and Distributed Denial of Service threats, and managing IPv6 and dual-stack clients. Cisco has designed wireless LAN controllers for organizations of all sizes and can provide standalone desktop appliances, modular add-on controllers for Cisco routers and Catalyst switches, and Catalyst switches with built-in wireless controllers.

Cisco's Wave 1 WiFi controllers incorporate Cisco CleanAir tools to minimize RF interference and produce self-healing and self-optimizing wireless LANs for maximum 802.11n and 802.11ac throughput and protection. Built-in Apple Bonjour Gateways allow discovery across the enterprise for Apple applications. For fault tolerance, Cisco wireless controllers allow AP and client stateful switchover by permitting a standby high-availability wireless controller to synch with a main wireless controller for access point license tabulation, CAPWAP keys, and AP CAPWAP state. In case the main controller fails, thousands of access points and wireless clients can failover in less than a second to the secondary wireless controller.

Cisco's Wireless Module for ISR G2 Routers with UCS-E provides basic 802.11n and 802.11ac support for 2900 and 3900 routers used by smaller businesses and branch offices. This value-priced and scalable module can support up to 200 APs and as many as 6000 wireless clients. (To find out concerning Progent's remote and on-premises consulting support services for Cisco routers, refer to Cisco router configuration and troubleshooting services.)

Catalyst 3650 Series are 1RU form-factor switches intended for small to mid-size businesses and satellite offices and come with an integrated wireless controller with the ability to handle 40 Gb of wireless throughput for each switch and 25 wireless access points and 1000 clients on each switch or stack. Catalyst 3850 Series are 1RU switches intended for mid-size and large organizations and feature a built-in wireless LAN controller supporting up to 40 Gb of wireless throughput per switch and the ability to handle up to 50 access points and 2000 wireless clients. The Wireless Services Module2 is a plug-in blade for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series switches that include an integrated wireless controller intended for mid-to-large size businesses and capable of 20 Gbps performance and able to handle up to 1000 wireless access points and up to 15,000 clients. (To find out about Progent's consulting services for Catalyst switches, see Cisco switches deployment and management services.)

Cisco 2500 Wireless Controllers are entry-level desktop devices that streamline the deployment and operation of wireless networks for small to medium-sized enterprises and branch offices. The 2500 Series wireless controller can manage 5 to 75 access points and up to 1000 wireless clients and can deliver sustained performance of up to 1 Gbps.

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

The Cisco Flex 7500 Series Wireless Controller is intended to enable centralized management of massive collections of wireless remote sites from one location, avoiding the costs of a Wi-Fi controller at every branch. The 1RU rackmount Flex 7500 appliance allows you to create a private cloud to deploy, monitor, maintain, and repair as many as 6000 wireless access points and 64,000 clients while supporting 1 Gbps performance. The Cisco 8500 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU rackmount device designed to monitor and control wireless networks for large campuses or service providers and can be expanded to support 6000 APs and 64,000 clients while delivering 10 Gbps throughput.

Legacy Cisco WLAN Controllers
Cisco WLAN Controllers provide single-point management of wireless LANs by simplifying the handling of common functions including intrusion prevention, real-time RF management, zero touch deployment, and full N+1 redundancy. Cisco Wireless Network controllers operate with lightweight access points to offer superior performance and advanced control functions.

WLAN Controllers offer the manageability, scalability, security, and fault tolerance that IT managers need to create secure, large-scale wireless solutions, from satellite locations to small businesses to main campuses. Cisco's legacy WLCs can be configured together to offer support for as many as 2400 WAPs per roaming domain.

Cisco's WLCM or WLCM-E Module for IS Routers provides small-to mid-size businesses (SMBs) and enterprises a cost effective way to deploy and manage protected wireless networks at satellite locations. These wireless controllers supervise as many as a dozen Aironet access points and are supported on 2800/3800 Routers and Cisco 3700 Series Routers. (To learn about Progent's online and onsite consulting services for Cisco routers, refer to Cisco router deployment and management support.)

How Progent's Consultants Can Assist You with Cisco Catalyst Wi-Fi Controllers
Progent can provide a Cisco-certified consulting professional to assist you to plan, deploy, manage and repair a converged wired/wireless environment incorporating a broad range of wireless technologies that provide the identical security, scalability, and ease of management you expect from a wired environment. Progent can help you to manage early-generation wireless solutions from Cisco or migrate seamlessly to the latest 802.11ac-comaptible products. Progent's CISA and ISSAP security specialists can show you how to design security into your WLAN and into your company's processes. Progent's disaster recovery consultants and business continuity consultants can show you how to set up the high availability (HA) features incorporated into Cisco's wired/wireless products so your converged network delivers non-stop return on investment.

Progent’s Wi-Fi Site Survey assists you to design and deploy a state-of-the-art WLAN customized for your facilities, offering a wireless ecosystem that provides comprehensive coverage, high speed and capacity, Quality of Service to support IP video, enterprise-class security and compliance, and streamlined management. Progent's Wi-Fi Site Survey can be delivered remotely to cut time and costs, or onsite for more challenging situations.

For a further look at Progent's wireless consulting services, see Progent's Wireless Help.

For details about Progent's consulting expertise for other Cisco networking technology, chose a topic:

• Overview of Cisco Expertise
• Fast and Affordable Online Support from a Cisco CCIE Network Engineer
• Cisco Firepower NGFW Firewalls: Integration and Troubleshooting Expertise
• ASA 5500-X Series Firewall with Firepower: Integration and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco ASA 5500 Firewalls Integration Expertise
• Cisco PIX Firewall Troubleshooting Support
• Cisco Routers Consulting Expertise
• Cisco Wireless Consulting Services
• Aironet Wireless APs Deployment Help
• Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 WiFi Access Points Consulting Help
• Cisco Catalyst 802.11ax Wireless Access Points Planning, Configuration and Debugging Expertise
• Cisco WiFi Controllers Support Services
• Cisco Meraki Access Points Design Expertise
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and Cisco CallManager Consulting and Technical Support
• Cisco Voice over IP Phones and IP Video Desktop Phones Consulting Services and Wireless IP Phone Integration
• Cisco Jabber Deployment Services
• Cisco Catalyst Switches Consulting and Support Expertise
• Nexus Switches Configuration and Maintenance Expertise
• Meraki Switches Configuration and Maintenance Expertise
• Cisco Security and VPN Integration Expertise
• SIP and CUBE Infrastructure Solutions: SIP PSTN Trunks and Cisco CUBE Integration Consulting
• Design Expertise for Cisco-based Datacenters and Colocation Centers
• Network Optimization Expertise for ISPs
• Streamlined Network Management Technologies for Cisco-based Infrastructure
• NetApp and Cisco FlexPod Cloud Architecture Consulting Services