Wireless Consulting Services

Cisco Wi-Fi controllers streamline the management of Wi-Fi networks by centralizing the configuration and control of Wi-Fi access points, optimizing Wi-Fi performance by minimizing the effects of radio interference, enhancing Wi-Fi uptime with rapid auto-failover, and tightening security by uncovering cyber threats and filtering traffic content based on client type and location.

Cisco WiFi controllers integrate with Cisco's Prime Infrastructure platform, which can support up to 6,000 Wi-Fi access points and 64,000 clients. Cisco's family of Wi-Fi controllers are available at prices and with feature sets suitable for networks ranging from small offices to service provider networks, multi-site enterprises, and large campus deployments. Cisco's 802.11ac Wave 2 controllers and Wi-Fi access points are designed to deliver the high level of security, speed and robustness that companies are accustomed to in their wired environments. Cisco's technology incorporates built-in mobility services such as Voice over IP, HD video, and secure guest access. Cisco's Prime Infrastructure platform allows organizations to build systems that combine wired and Wi-Fi networks into a unified ecosystem that delivers a seamless and productive work environment.

Progent's seasoned Wi-Fi consultants can assist you to determine the business benefits of deploying Cisco wireless controllers to administer WiFi environments of any size. Progent can help you to maintain and troubleshoot your existing Cisco-based Wi-Fi ecosystem or help you to plan and implement an efficient transition from older Wi-Fi controllers to modern models to deliver improved functionality and protection and to simplify management.

Progent's Cisco-certified network consultants offer affordable online consulting expertise throughout the U.S. to help businesses to create and enhance Wi-Fi networks. Progent can also provide onsite consulting in larger metropolitan areas across the U.S. and in Toronto, Canada. In addition, Progent offers affordable online and on-premises wireless Site surveys to help your company to design a Wi-Fi network with wireless access points located and configured efficiently for your particular site layout, traffic volume, and client density.

Cisco Wave 2 802.11ax WiFi Network Controllers
Cisco Wave 2 wireless controllers allow fast communication, configuration, management, monitoring and troubleshooting for Cisco Wi-Fi appliances and software services. Cisco has developed both physical and virtual wireless controllers for centralized administration of wireless networks, but WLANs with many wireless access points are better served by hardware-based wireless controllers. Wave 2 Wi-Fi controller appliances from Cisco offer significant advantages in comparison to Wave 1 and older products including higher throughput, simultaneous support for both 1G and 10G Ethernet, improved application visibility and control (AVC), and advanced, built-in protection.

The Cisco 3504 Wireless Controller is a value-priced appliance available in a desktop enclosure and intended for smaller businesses. You can use the 3504 in a centralized network environment such as in small branch and remote offices managed over the wide-area network with Cisco FlexConnect, or in mesh deployments where wiring is sparse. The 3504 Wi-Fi controller can handle as many as 150 access points and 3,000 client users, delivers 4 Gbps performance, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. Cisco's 3504 wireless controller features a Cisco Multigigabit interface (up to 5 Gigabit Ethernet) and four 1-Gigabit Ethernet ports. Access points can be connected directly to the controller via two Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports. The 3504 wireless controller offers subsecond failover for access points and users, which provides high availability for applications. As with other current Wave 2 wireless controllers from Cisco, the 3504 device has the integrated ability to work 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 intended to support larger enterprises 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 users, delivers 20 Gbps throughput, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 5520 WiFi controller features two 10 GE interfaces and features solid-state storage, redundant fans, optional dual power supplies, and rapid failover for nonstop availability.

The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller, available in a 2 rack unit package, is a high-end wireless controller designed to support enterprises, service providers, and large campus environments. The 8540 Wireless controller can be run in centralized, distributed, and mesh architectures and can handle as many as 6,000 APs and 64,000 client users. The 8540 Wireless controller offers data rates as high as 40 Gbps and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 8540 controller comes with four 1-GB or 10GE ports and features solid-state storage, redundant power supplies, redundant fans, and rapid failover.

Wave 1 Cisco WiFi LAN Controllers
Cisco wireless LAN controllers cut the time and expense needed to deploy, manage, and operate wireless networks by offering single-point control of tasks such as provisioning wireless access points, enforcing consistent policies throughout converged LANs, supporting enterprise-wide Quality of Service for voice and HD video, tracking and troubleshooting network performance, implementing intrusion prevention tools to guard against unauthorized access and Distributed Denial of Service threats, and handling IPv6 clients. Cisco has developed wireless LAN controllers for organizations of any size and can provide standalone desktop controllers, modular plug-in wireless controllers for Cisco routers and Catalyst switches, and switches with integrated wireless LAN controllers.

Cisco's Wave 1 wireless network controllers incorporate Cisco CleanAir technology to minimize RF interference and create self-optimizing wireless networks for maximum 802.11n and 802.11ac performance and protection. Integrated Apple Bonjour Gateways allow discovery, advertisement and policy throughout the enterprise for Apple-based applications. For high availability, Cisco wireless LAN controllers allow access point and client stateful failover by permitting a standby HA controller to synchronize with a primary wireless controller for access point license tabulation, CAPWAP state and roaming keys, and access point CAPWAP state. If the main controller goes down, thousands of wireless access points and clients can failover immediately to the secondary wireless network controller.

Cisco's Wireless Controller Module for ISR G2 Routers with UCS-E offers entry-level 802.11n and 802.11ac support for Cisco 2900 and 3900 Series routers deployed by small to medium-sized businesses and branches. This affordable and scalable module can support up to 200 access points and up to 6000 wireless clients. (To learn concerning Progent's online and onsite consulting and troubleshooting support services for Cisco routers, see Cisco router deployment and management support.)

Cisco Catalyst 3650 Series are 1RU switches intended for small to mid-size businesses and satellite offices and come with a built-in wireless network controller with the ability to handle up to 40 Gb of wireless throughput per switch and 25 APs and 1000 wireless clients on each switch. Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series are 1RU switches designed for midsize and large organizations and include a built-in wireless controller supporting up to 40 Gb of wireless capacity per switch and the ability to handle 50 access points and up to 2000 clients. The WiSM2 is a plug-in blade for Catalyst 6500 Series switches that include a built-in wireless network controller designed for mid-to-large size enterprises and capable of 20 Gbps throughput and able to handle up to 1000 access points and up to 15,000 clients. (For information about Progent's support for Cisco switches, see Cisco switches deployment and troubleshooting support.)

Cisco 2500 Wireless Controllers are economical desktop devices that simplify the provisioning and management of wireless LANs for small to medium-sized enterprises and satellite offices. The 2500 Series wireless LAN controller can manage from five to 75 access points and up to 1000 clients and can deliver sustained performance of 1 Gbps.

The Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controller is a scalable 1RU appliance intended for mid-to-large sized businesses and campus environments and can support up to 500 access points and 7,000 clients while providing 8 Gbps throughput. Cisco's 5760 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU device designed for mid-to-large campuses with support for 1000 access points and 12,000 clients and providing performance of 60 Gbps to accommodate high client densities and high amounts of video-intensive applications.

Cisco's Flex 7500 Wireless Controller is designed to enable centralized management of massive collections of wireless branches from a single location, eliminating the need for a Wi-Fi controller at each remote site. The 1RU rackmount Flex 7500 appliance lets you establish a private cloud to deploy, monitor, maintain, and repair as many as 6000 wireless access points and 64,000 clients while handling 1 Gbps throughput. The Cisco 8500 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU rackmount device engineered to manage Wi-Fi networks for large campuses or service providers and can scale to support 6000 APs and up to 64,000 clients while offering 10 Gbps performance.

Contact Progent for Consulting Support for Cisco Wireless Controllers
To contact Progent about consulting services for Cisco wireless controllers, call 1-800-993-9400 or visit Contact Progent.

To find out about Progent's additional consulting and troubleshooting services for Cisco technology, select a topic:

• Introduction to Cisco Support
• Fast and Affordable Remote Access to a Cisco CCIE Engineer
• Cisco Firepower Firewalls: Configuration and Troubleshooting Support
• ASA 5500-X Series Firewall with Firepower Services: Setup and Management Expertise
• Cisco ASA 5500 Firewall Consulting Services
• PIX Series Firewall Troubleshooting Assistance
• Cisco Routers Consulting Services
• Cisco Wireless Network Design Services
• Cisco Aironet Wireless Access Points Consulting Support
• Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 Wireless Access Points Engineering Help
• Meraki Access Points Engineering Services
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and Cisco CallManager Consulting and Technical Support
• Cisco Voice over IP (VoIP) Phones and IP Video Phones Consulting Services and Cisco Wireless IP Phone Integration
• Cisco Jabber Configuration and Troubleshooting Expertise
• Catalyst Switches Configuration and Maintenance Services
• Nexus Switches Configuration and Maintenance Expertise
• Meraki Switches Configuration and Maintenance Expertise
• Cisco Security and VPN Consulting Services
• SIP and CUBE Integration Solutions: SIP Trunks and CUBE Integration Consulting
• Design Expertise for Cisco-powered Data Centers
• Infrastructure Design Consulting for ISPs
• Remote Network Management Strategies for Cisco-based Environments