Wireless Access

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Access network design for branch, remote, outdoor, and campus locations with HPE Aruba Networking access points and mobility controllers.
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Two 3400's or one 3600?

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  • 1.  Two 3400's or one 3600?

    Posted Jul 24, 2012 08:52 AM

    We are expanding our wireless coverage into a new section of our building which is just an extension of the building, directly connected.  Our current building has a pair of 3400 controllers (the 2nd being a standby backup controller) handling 48 access points.  The new section will require approximately 58 additional access points.  Since the 3400 can control a maximum of 64 access points, I need to figure out if we should get an additional pair of 3400 controllers for the new area, or replace the 3400's with a pair of 3600 controllers that could handle all the APs in both sections.

     

    Can anyone list the pro's and con's of each method?

     

    I am particularly interested in finding out if there would be problems with devices roaming between AP's connected to different 3400 controllers, and if two 3400 controllers can deal gracefully with adjacent AP's from the other controller (like not identifying them as rogues).

     

    I will be grateful for any of your thoughts on this.


    #3400
    #3600


  • 2.  RE: Two 3400's or one 3600?

    Posted Jul 24, 2012 01:46 PM
    Current inventory: 2x 3400 controllers

    Option1:
    Replace 2x 3400 with 2x3600 controllers.
    Deployment: Master -- Standby
    You will have full redundancy in case the current master goes down.

    Option2:
    Buy 1x3400 controller and deploy as:
    New inventory: 3x 3400 controllers
    1 Master and 2 Local
    In this deployment you do not get complete redundancy in case both the locals go down.

    Option3:
    Buy 2x 3400 controllers
    New Inventory: 4x3400 controllers
    Deployment:
    Current Building: Master - Standby
    Extension: Local1 and Local2 (split the APs between the two local controllers)
    In this deployment you will still not get full redundancy in case both the locals go down.

    Hope that helps!
    --
    HT


  • 3.  RE: Two 3400's or one 3600?

    Posted Jul 25, 2012 07:23 AM

    Thank you for the response.

     

    So is it an option to have a master/standby in both sides of the building so if either master or both go down, the corresponding standby will take over?  Or would there be a problem getting two master controllers to interact?

     

    Thanks again!



  • 4.  RE: Two 3400's or one 3600?

    Posted Jul 25, 2012 12:24 PM
    @dennybeach wrote:

    Thank you for the response.

     

    So is it an option to have a master/standby in both sides of the building so if either master or both go down, the corresponding standby will take over?  Or would there be a problem getting two master controllers to interact?

     

    Thanks again!

    The questions here is: 

    Do you want the clients to roam between the APs on two different master controllers?

     

    If yes,  then you would have to configure L3 mobility and define HAT tables on the two master controllers. 

     



  • 5.  RE: Two 3400's or one 3600?

    Posted Jul 26, 2012 07:47 AM

    Yes, it would need to operate as a single wireless network.

     

    I don't know why I didn't think of it before, but it looks like the correct course of action is to add one 3600 as a single master and turn the existing 3400 controllers into local controllers.  While it may not be "full" redundancy, we could lose any single device and continue to operate until the problem could be fixed.

     

    I was able to confirm this with one of our Aruba consulting systems engineers.

     

    Thank you for all of your input.