[sdw2003] Wireless LAN Controller

[Lawrence]

Christian - what you didn't indicate is how you plan to use these, what mgmt
features you need, etc.

Having deployed a wireless product into hospitals for 3 years, I can tell
you at the enterprise level there can be plenty of gotchas

Scripps dumped their BlueSocket for a reason (but we are talking
multi-campus, hundreds of APs).  Then again, they chose BlueSocket
originally for a reason, just their needs changed over the years.

You need to define your requirements, required connectivity, and special
application requirements? Authentication mechanisms?  Multiple
authentication protocols due to some wireless devices?  These sorts of
things can trip you up.  Flush out your requirements, then find what meets
those.  For example, will all the APs be on the same subnet (regardless of
location?  You can do that easily with Aruba.)  What security do you want?
Any ACLs, etc.  Do you need redundancy?

Have fun selecting a vendor

Lawrence


-----Original Message-----
From: sdw2003-bounces at mattware.com [mailto:sdw2003-bounces at mattware.com] On
Behalf Of Raleigh
Sent: Thursday, November 05, 2009 1:28 PM
To: San Diego Windows 2003 User Group
Subject: RE: [sdw2003] Wireless LAN Controller

If you're not going to go with Cisco WLC, then check into Bluesocket
(www.bluesocket.com). They sell Wireless Lan Controllers that will work just
about any vendor's AP (in autonomous mode), or, they make a Bluesocket AP
that functions as a thin a/p. The BSC-1200 is probably about the right size
for you, it supports up to 25 APs. They do have a BSC-600 that supports 8
APs, but you wouldn't have room for growth. A BSC-1200 can be had for under
$8K.

Bluesocket is not cheap, but not as expensive as Cisco.  We are migrating
away from Bluesocket to Cisco WLC, but not because we didn't like them, it
just makes sense for us because we're a Cisco shop (and we can afford it).
Bluesocket has been pretty solid and easy to administer for us. I can
recommend them.

Good luck,
Raleigh

Raleigh Moody
Network Engineer, MCSE
Associate Director of Information Technology California Western School of
Law San Diego, CA | 619-525-1406 | ram at cwsl.edu


-----Original Message-----
From: Christian Boddaert Sent: Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:54 AM
To: sdw2003 at mattware.com
Subject: [sdw2003] Wireless LAN Controller

Is anyone using a wireless LAN controller to manage multiple AP's? I would
like to provide A/G/N coverage between multiple sites and I'm estimating
about 8-10 AP's. Recommendations on brand, model and features would be
helpful.

We are a Cisco shop however the price for the controller based on quantity
of AP's and the AP cost itself is a bit high.

Thanks!