discuss the pros and cons of using a Wireless LAN Controller in conjunction with lightweight access points, when compared to autonomous access points. Where would you deploy one technology over the other? How would your decision change based on the scale of the network involved?

Also how would you respond to agree with these two post?

1. The implementation of Wireless LAN Controllers is well suited for an enterprise networking environment where multiple APs are required as well as the capability to scale for future growth. A few years back while on a contracting job, I was asked to design a WI-FI network for a small campus that consisted of several medical buildings and housing for disabled and aging residents. The intention was to allow medical staff to be able to roam between the different buildings utilizing WI-FI tablets for medical record keeping. We designed a WI-FI network utilizing Ciscos Meraki platforms. This allowed for a mesh network with both indoor and outdoor APs managed by centralized Wireless Lan Controllers. The initial implementation consisted of approximate fifteen Lightweight Access Points with plans to add additional APs to extend coverage. In this environment as well as any other where it will be laborious to manage numerous individual APs, it is conducive to implement Wireless LAN Controllers. Autonomous APs are practical where there will only be a handful of APs that are easily accessible for management and there are no plans for substantial future growth.

2. Judging by the reading, a Wireless LAN Controller with lightweight access points would be most beneficial when there are a mass number of stations trying to connect to a network. The scalability that comes with the WLC can allow for a more easily configured network. But the downsides appear to be the proprietary restrictions, and that a large number of the devices do not actually provide true convergence with the wireless and wired network. Still, in a business environment with a lot of device traffic, I would be surprised if anyone chose to utilize an autonomous access point.

Where scalability is concerned, autonomous access points do seem to offer a simplified (if not expensive) solution; simply add more access points. However, adding an access point can be quite a bit of work, having to configure and maintain that point on an individual basis. This would not be an ideal option for a large and/or heavily trafficked business, but I could see a small business or residence using multiple autonomous access points.