WLAN Controller Upgrade

[Patrick McHenry]

We have three controllers. Two are populated with APs and the third is a backup. I was thinking I would upgrade the backup first and associate a couple of APs to it for testing first. My question is, when I upgrade the controllers that have all the AP's associated with them, will the APs go to their secondary Controller (which is the backup controller) or will they stay and get upgraded by their primary controller?

Thanks, Pat.

[Leo Laohoo]

I was thinking I would upgrade the backup first and associate a couple of APs to it for testing first.

I would backup the third, divert some APs to the 3rd controller for testing.

My question is, when I upgrade the controllers that have all the AP's associated with them, will the APs go to their secondary Controller (which is the backup controller) or will they stay and get upgraded by their primary controller?

When I upgrade controllers I aways upgrade the tertiaries first, secondaries next and the primaries last.  That way the APs upgrade their IOS just once.

[Patrick McHenry]

I don't quit understand what you mean by, "I would backup the third, divert some APs to the 3rd controller for testing." What do you mean by backup the third? Also, not sure what you mean by upgrading the tertiary first as we have three controllers. APs on Controller1 have Controller1 as their primary, Controller3 as their secondary and Controller 2 as their tertiary.

APs on Controller2 have Controller2 as their primary, Controller3 as their secondary and Controller1 as their tertiary.

For example, if I upgrade Controller1 first, won't the APs associate with Controller3?

[Leo Laohoo]

I don't quit understand what you mean by, "I would backup the third, divert some APs to the 3rd controller for testing." What do you mean by backup the third?

You have three WLC controllers.  Upgrade the firmware of the 3rd WLC and divert some APs by configuring the 3rd WLC details as the primary controller of the AP.  That way the APs you've selected will join the 3rd WLC and upgrade their firmware.

Also, not sure what you mean by upgrading the tertiary first as we have three controllers. APs on Controller1 have Controller1 as their primary, Controller3 as their secondary and Controller 2 as their tertiary.
APs on Controller2 have Controller2 as their primary, Controller3 as their secondary and Controller1 as their tertiary.

How many APs is the 3rd controller servicing?

[Patrick McHenry]

The third Controller has no APs. It is only there as a backup for the two that are servicing all the APs. In my initial post I described what you are suggesting -Upgrade the Backup Controller and then associate some APs with it and they will get upgraded as well. I'm actually going to do this and leave it for a week for testing. My question is really more of an AP behavioral one. When I upgrade the Controller, will the APs leave and associate with the secondary controller as if the Controller has gone down? Just trying to understand what is going to happen when I upgrade.

I think the confusion is that our Controller3 is actually a secondary controller for both Controller1 APs and Controller2 APs. Controller, at this time has no APs associated with it.

[Vinay Sharma]

Hi Patrick,

Please mark the Question as Answered, if the provided information by Leo is correct and it helped. By doing that others can take benefit as well.

Thanks,

Vinay Sharma

Community Manager – Wireless