Overview
Q. What are Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers?
A. Cisco
® Catalyst
® 9800 Series Wireless Controllers are built from the ground up to deliver wireless performance and security at scale. They are Cisco IOS
® XE-based and integrate radio frequency (RF) excellence with the intent-based networking capabilities of Cisco IOS XE to create a best-in-class wireless experience for your evolving and growing organization.
The Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers are feature rich and enterprise ready to power your business-critical operations and transform end customer experiences. Key features include:
● High availability and seamless software updates, enabled by hot and cold patching, to keep your clients and services always on in planned and unplanned events.
● The ability to secure air, devices, and users. Wireless infrastructure becomes the strongest first line of defense with Encrypted Traffic Analytics and SD-Access. The controllers come with built-in security, including secure boot, runtime defenses, image signing, integrity verification, and hardware authenticity.
● The flexibility to deploy anywhere to enable wireless connectivity everywhere. Whether on premises, in a public or private cloud, or embedded on an access point, the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers have multiple deployment and scale options to best meet your organization’s needs.
● Open and programmable APIs built on a modular operating system to enable automation of your day 0 to N network operations while model-driven streaming telemetry provides deep insights into your network and client health.
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers are available in multiple form factors to enrich your deployment options:
● Cisco Catalyst CW9800H2
● Cisco Catalyst CW9800H1
● Cisco Catalyst CW9800M
● Cisco CW9800L
● Cisco Catalyst 9800-L
● Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wireless Controllers for Cloud
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller product portfolio and positioning
Q. What is the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliance?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances are purpose-built for intent-based networks powered by fully programmable multicore network processors. They offer high scale, performance, and resiliency to address deployment, starting from the medium-sized campus to large enterprises and service providers.
Built with an agile Cisco IOS XE operating system, the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances are industry-leading secure wireless controllers that are always on and can be deployed anywhere.
The Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliance is available in a range of form factors:
● Cisco Catalyst CW9800H2 Wireless Controller: Engineered for large deployments with two 40-Gbps and eight 1/10-Gbps uplinks that supports up to 6000 APs and 64,000 clients with up to 100 Gbps. The Catalyst CW9800H2 wireless controller is a 1RU design that boasts up to a 36% increase in performance and consumes up to 40% less power than the Catalyst 9800-80.
● Cisco Catalyst CW9800H1 Wireless Controller: Engineered for large deployments with four 25-Gbps and eight 1/10-Gbps uplinks that supports up to 6000 APs and 64,000 clients with up to 100 Gbps. The Catalyst CW9800H1 wireless controller is a 1RU design that boasts up to a 36% increase in performance and consumes up to 40% less power than the Catalyst 9800-80.
● Cisco Catalyst CW9800M Wireless Controller: A powerful and efficient 1RU design for medium-sized deployments with four 1/10-Gbps and two 25-Gbps uplinks that supports up to 3000 APs and 32,000 clients with up to 50 Gbps of throughput. The Catalyst CW9800M wireless controller boasts up to a 53% performance increase and consumes up to 18% less power while supporting 1000 more APs than the Catalyst 9800-40.
● Cisco CW9800L Wireless Controller: A compact controller appliance purpose-built for small campus and branch deployments. It features two 1/10-Gbps SFP+ uplinks and supports up to 500 access points and 10,000 clients with up to 10 Gbps of throughput. The Cisco CW9800L boasts twice the capacity of the base Cisco Catalyst 9800-L and can be paired with a redundant power supply for extra resiliency. Without the redundant power supply, up to two appliances can be placed on a 1RU shelf, improving rack space efficiency.
● Cisco Catalyst 9800-L Wireless Controller: A compact controller appliance that is the perfect complement to the small to medium-sized network deployment. Data ports can operate in 1 Gbps and 10 Gbps mode, supporting different SFP/SFP+ transceivers and up to 5 Gbps of throughput.
Seamless software updates include Software Maintenance Upgrade (SMU) for hot and cold patching on wireless controllers, AP Service Pack for maintenance update on access points, AP Device Pack for introduction of new access point hardware into the network, and Intelligent Rolling AP Upgrade for hitless controller and access point upgrade.
Q. What is new with the Cisco Catalyst CW9800M, CW9800H1, and CW9800H2?
A. The Cisco Catalyst CW9800M, CW9800H1, and CW9800H2 wireless controllers are the most powerful and efficient Catalyst wireless controllers Cisco has ever built. All are now a 1RU design and all have a 10 Gbps HA port; both features allow for greater flexibility and easier deployments in modern data centers.
The Catalyst CW9800M supports up to 3000 APs, 1000 more than the Catalyst 9800-40. This provides headroom for future growth. Additionally, the CW9800M provides throughput speeds up to 50 Gbps using 1/10/25 Gbps uplinks, all while delivering up to 53% improved performance and using up to 18% less power.
The CW9800H1 and CW9800H2 wireless controllers have the same AP and client capabilities as the Catalyst 9800-80 but offer increased performance of up to 36% while using up to 40% less power. The CW9800H1 and CW9800H2 also offer a 20% improvement in maximum throughput over the Catalyst 9800-80 with speeds up to 100 Gbps.
All three models take advantage of cryptographic hardware offload to eliminate performance degradation from enabling advanced encryption.
Q. What is the difference between the CW9800H1 and CW9800H2?
A. The only difference is that the CW9800H1 has four 25-Gbps uplinks and the CW9800H2 has two 40-Gbps uplinks.
Q. Does the “M” in the Cisco Catalyst CW9800M stand for Meraki?
A. No, it stands for “midsize.”
Q. What’s the difference between the CW9800L and the C9800-L?
A. Both wireless controllers are compact appliances for small to midsize campus and branch deployments. However, there are some key differences between the two:
◦ The CW9800L has twice the capacity of the base C9800-L, allowing for future growth of APs and clients without having to upgrade.
◦ The CW9800L is up to 10dB quieter than the C9800-L.
◦ If ordered with the additional 32 GB storage option, the CW9800L supports containerized application hosting.
◦ While they use the same PSU, the CW9800L can also be outfitted with a redundant power supply providing additional resiliency to your critical networks.
◦ The CW9800L requires no performance license, unlike the C9800-L.
Q. What are the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers for Cloud?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers for Cloud (C9800-CL) are an addition to the Cisco Catalyst access product family.
The next-generation virtual wireless controllers are purpose-built for intent-based networks powered by the Cisco IOS XE operating system, which supports model-driven programmability and streaming telemetry. They offer high scale, performance, and resiliency to address deployment, ranging from distributed branches and medium-sized campuses to large enterprises and service providers.
Built with an agile Cisco IOS XE operating system, the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers for Cloud are industry-leading, secure wireless controllers that are always on and can be deployed anywhere.
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers for Cloud are available to deploy in:
● Private cloud: Wireless controller for private cloud with seamless software updates runs the same Cisco IOS XE operating system as other Cisco Catalyst wireless platforms, enabling customers to deploy a virtual wireless controller inside their private data center on hypervisors like VMware ESXi, open-source KVM, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Cisco Enterprise Network Compute System (ENCS).
● Public cloud: Wireless controller for public cloud with seamless software updates runs the same Cisco IOS XE operating system as other Catalyst wireless platforms, enabling customers to deploy and fully manage a virtual wireless controller available on Amazon Web Services (AWS) Marketplace and Google Cloud (GCP) Marketplace.
Seamless software updates include Software Maintenance Upgrade (SMU) for hot and cold patching on wireless controllers, AP Service Pack for maintenance update on access points, AP Device Pack for introduction of new access point hardware into the network, and Intelligent Rolling AP Upgrade for hitless controller and access point software upgrade.
Q. What is the Cisco Embedded Wireless Controller on Catalyst Access Points?
A. The Cisco Embedded Wireless Controller (EWC) on Catalyst Access Points is a next-generation enterprise Wi-Fi solution in which the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller is embedded on Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points. Powered by Cisco IOS XE, the Cisco Embedded Wireless Controller adds another choice to the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller deployment options and provides a clear upgrade path as your network needs grow.
The Embedded Wireless Controller is specifically designed and built for single or multisite enterprise locations. Like the 9800 Series Wireless Controllers, the Cisco Embedded Wireless Controller on Catalyst Access Points is resilient, secure, and intelligent; open and programmable; supports streaming telemetry; and is simple to deploy and manage.
Seamless software updates include Software Maintenance Upgrade (SMU) for hot and cold patching on wireless controllers, AP Service Pack for maintenance update on access points, and AP Device Pack for introduction of new access point hardware into the network.
For Embedded Wireless Controller-specific information, please refer to the Embedded Wireless Controller FAQ.
Q. What is the relative positioning among the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers are industry-leading, secure wireless controllers that are always on and can be deployed anywhere. They offer high performance and resiliency to address deployments ranging from distributed branches to small and medium-sized campuses and large enterprises.
Table 1. Positioning of Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
| Platform |
Positioning |
| Catalyst 9800H2 |
Lead physical controller for large enterprises and service providers |
| Catalyst 9800H1 |
Lead physical controller for large enterprises and service providers |
| Catalyst 9800M |
Lead physical controller for medium-sized campuses |
| Cisco CW9800L |
Lead physical controller for small to medium-sized campuses |
| Catalyst 9800-L |
Physical controller for small to medium-sized campuses |
| Catalyst 9800 for Private Cloud |
Lead virtual controller for small, medium, and large campuses |
| Catalyst 9800 for Public Cloud |
Virtual controller for small, distributed branches |
| Catalyst 9800 Embedded Wireless |
Wireless controller for distributed branch SD-Access deployments |
Q. What is the difference between a wireless LAN controller and Campus Gateway?
A. Unlike a wireless LAN controller, which is part of the on-premises, customer-managed Cisco Wireless stack, Campus Gateway is integrated into the cloud-managed stack, offering distinct services and architectural differences.
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances
Q. Which deployment modes are supported on the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances?
A. Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances support all deployment modes, including centralized wireless, Cisco FlexConnect
®, and fabric.
Q. What is the 9800-L performance license (LIC-C9800L-PERF)?
A. The 9800-L performance license lets you use the 9800-L with up to 500 access points, 10,000 clients, and 9 Gbps throughput.
Q. What is the scale and performance of the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances?
A.
Table 2. Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances scale and performance
| Product |
Number of access points |
Number of clients |
Throughput |
| CW9800M |
3000 |
32,000 |
Up to 50 Gbps |
| CW9800H1 |
6000 |
64,000 |
Up to 100 Gbps |
| CW9800H2 |
6000 |
64,000 |
Up to 100 Gbps |
| CW9800L |
500 |
10,000 |
Up to 10 Gbps |
| 9800-L |
250 |
5,000 |
Up to 5 Gbps |
| 9800-L with performance license |
500 |
10,000 |
Up to 9 Gbps |
Q. Which access point models are supported with the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL and 9800-L Wireless Controller appliances support Wave 1 and Wave 2 Cisco Aironet access points as well as Cisco Catalyst 802.11ax access points. The Cisco Catalyst CW9800H2, CW9800H1, CW9800M, and CW9800L Wireless Controller appliances support Wave 2 Cisco Aironet access points as well as Cisco Catalyst 9100 802.11ax and newer access points. Standard power is supported with automated frequency coordination where applicable. Note that there is no support for 802.11n, a, b, or g access points.
Q. Which access point modes are supported with the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances support Cisco access points in
Local
mode (centralized and SD-Access deployment),
FlexConnect mode, and
Bridge and
Flex+Bridge modes.
Q. Can an existing AireOS wireless controller coexist with the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers?
A. Yes, AireOS wireless controllers can coexist with Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers. Inter-Release Controller Mobility (IRCM) is supported with AireOS 8.5 MR3 (special), AireOS 8.5 MR4 (special), and AireOS 8.8 MR2 release.
Q. What are the CW9800M SKUs/PIDs?
A.
Table 3. Cisco Catalyst CW9800M product information
| SKU/PID |
Description |
Comments |
| CW9800M |
Cisco Catalyst CW9800M Wireless Controller |
Base and HA SKU |
| PWR-CH1-750WACR |
Cisco 750W AC Power Supply |
AC power supply |
| A1K-1RU-REAR= |
Rear rack mount kit for CW9800 |
CW9800 rack mount |
| SW-9800M-1714 |
Software image (current version of software installed at factory) |
Software image |
Q. What are the CW9800H1 SKUs/PIDs?
A.
Table 4. Cisco Catalyst CW9800H1 product information
| SKU/PID |
Description |
Comments |
| CW9800H1 |
Cisco Catalyst CW9800H1 Wireless Controller |
Base and HA SKU |
| PWR-CH1-750WACR |
Cisco 750W AC Power Supply |
AC power supply |
| PWR-CH1-950WDCR |
Cisco 950W DC Power Supply |
DC power supply |
| A1K-1RU-REAR= |
Rear rack mount kit for CW9800 |
CW9800 rack mount |
| SW9800H-1714 |
Software image (current version of software installed at factory) |
Software image |
Q. What are the CW9800H2 SKUs/PIDs?
A.
Table 5. Cisco Catalyst CW9800H2 product information
| SKU/PID |
Description |
Comments |
| CW9800H2 |
Cisco Catalyst CW9800H2 Wireless Controller |
Base and HA SKU |
| PWR-CH1-750WACR |
Cisco 750W AC Power Supply |
AC power supply |
| PWR-CH1-950WDCR |
Cisco 950W DC Power Supply |
DC power supply |
| A1K-1RU-REAR= |
Rear rack mount kit for CW9800 |
CW9800 rack mount |
| SW9800H-1714 |
Software image (current version of software installed at factory) |
Software image |
Q. What are the CW9800L SKUs/PIDs?
A.
Table 6. Cisco Catalyst CW9800L product information
| SKU/PID |
Description |
Comments |
| CW9800L |
Cisco Catalyst CW9800L Wireless Controller |
Base SKU |
| CW9800L++ |
Trade Agreements Act (TAA) Compliant Cisco Catalyst CW9800L Wireless Controller |
TAA Compliant SKU |
| CW9800L-RPS= |
Redundant Power Supply for CW9800L |
Includes external redundant power supply module, an additional power supply, and necessary power cables |
Q. What are the 9800-L SKUs/PIDs?
A.
Table 7. Cisco Catalyst 9800-L product information
| SKU/PID |
Description |
Comments |
| C9800-L-F-K9 |
Cisco Catalyst 9800-L Wireless Controller fiber uplink |
Base and HA SKU (fiber uplink) |
| C9800-L-C-K9 |
Cisco Catalyst 9800-L Wireless Controller copper uplink/base and HA SKU |
Base and HA SKU (copper uplink) |
| C9800-L-F-CA-K9 |
Cisco 9800-L Wireless Controller fiber service |
Service 9800-L (fiber) |
| C9800-L-C-CA-K9 |
Cisco 9800-L Wireless Controller copper service |
Service 9800-L (copper) |
| LIC-9800-DTLS-K9 |
Cisco 9800 Wireless Controller license |
Optional DTLS license |
| LIC-C9800L-PERF |
Cisco Catalyst 9800-L Wireless Controller performance license |
Optional performance license |
| LIC-C9800L-PERF= |
Spare Cisco Catalyst 9800-L Wireless Controller performance license |
Spare optional performance license |
| C9800-AC-110W |
Cisco Catalyst 9800-L Wireless Controller power supply |
9800-L PSU |
| C9800-AC-110W= |
Cisco Catalyst 9800-L Wireless Controller 110W AC power supply |
9800-L 110W AC PSU |
| C9800L-RMNT |
Cisco 9800 Wireless Controller rack mount tray |
9800 Rack mount tray |
| C9800L-RMNT= |
Spare Cisco 9800 Wireless Controller rack mount tray |
Spare 9800 Rack mount tray |
Q. What are the High-Availability (HA) SKUs for the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800 models use the same SKU as the primary model.
Q. Will the Cisco Catalyst 9800-L Wireless Controller support copper or fiber uplinks?
A. There are two different versions of the Cisco Catalyst 9800-L Wireless Controller; one supports copper uplinks and the other supports fiber uplinks.
Q. Will the Cisco CW9800L Wireless Controller support copper ports?
A. No, Cisco will not be supporting this.
Q. What are the SKUs for the power supply for the Cisco CW9800L and C9800-L Wireless Controllers?
A. The SKUs for both wireless controller power supplies are C9800-AC-110W and C9800-AC-110W=.
Q. What is the SKU for the redundant power supply for the Cisco CW9800L Wireless Controller?
A. The SKU for the Cisco CW9800L Wireless Controller redundant power supply is CW9800L-RPS=.
Q. What is the SKU for the redundant power supply for the Cisco Catalyst CW9800H1 and CW9800H1 Wireless Controllers?
A. The Cisco Catalyst CW9800H1 and CW9800H2 Wireless Controllers by default ship with redundant power supplies; AC or DC based on power supply selection at the time of order placement.
Q. What are the SFP/SFP+ optics supported with the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances?
A.
Table 8. Supported SFP/SFP+ optics for the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
| Supported SFP/SFP+ optics |
| SFP-10G-SR SFP-10G-LR SFP-10G-ER GLC-EX-SMD |
GLC-SX-MMD GLC-LH-SMD GLC-ZXSMD |
GLC-TE SFP-10G-SR-X SFP-10G-LR-X |
DWDM-SFP10G-30.33= SFP-10G-AOC2M SFP-H10GB-ACU7M |
Q. What are the SFP/SFP+ optics supported with the Cisco Catalyst CW9800M Wireless Controller?
A.
Table 9. Supported SFP/SFP+ optics for the CW9800M wireless controller
| Type |
Modules supported |
| Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) |
● GLC-LH-SMD
● GLC-SX-MMD
● GLC-TE
● GLC-ZX-SMD
● GLC-BX-U
● GLC-BX-D
● GLC-EX-SMD
● SFP-10G-SR
● SFP-10G-SR-S
● SFP-10G-SR-I
● SFP-10G-LR
|
| Enhanced SFP (SFP+) |
● SFP-10G-LR-X
● SFP-10G-ER
● SFP-H10GB-ACU10M
● SFP-H10GB-CU5M
● SFP-10G-AOC10M
● SFP-10G-T-X
● Finisar-LR (FTLX1471D3BCL)
● Finisar-SR (FTLX8574D3BC)
● SFP-H10GB-CU1M
● SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M
● SFP-H10GB-CU2M
● SFP-H10GB-CU2-5M
● SFP-H10GB-CU3M
● SFP-H10GB-ACU7M
● SFP-10G-AOC1M
● SFP-10G-AOC2M
● SFP-10G-AOC3M
● SFP-10G-AOC5M
● SFP-10G-AOC7M
● SFP-10/25G-CSR-S
● SFP-10/25G-LR-S
● SFP-10/25G-LR-I
● SFP-10/25G-BXD-I
● SFP-10/25G-BXU-I
|
| SFP+ (25G) |
● SFP-25G-ER-I
● SFP-25G-SR-S
● SFP-25G-AOC2M
● SFP-25G-AOC10M
● SFP-25G-AOC5M
|
Q. What are the SFP/SFP+ optics supported with the Cisco Catalyst CW9800H1 and CW9800H2 Wireless Controllers?
A.
Table 10. Supported SFP/SFP+ optics for the CW9800H1 and CW9800H2 Wireless Controllers
| Type |
Modules supported |
| Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) |
● GLC-LH-SMD
● GLC-SX-MMD
● GLC-TE
● GLC-ZX-SMD
● GLC-BX-U
● GLC-BX-D
● GLC-EX-SMD
|
| Enhanced SFP (SFP+) |
● SFP-10G-SR
● SFP-10G-SR-S
● SFP-10G-SR-I
● SFP-10G-LR
● SFP-10G-LR-X
● SFP-10G-ER
● SFP-H10GB-ACU10M
● SFP-H10GB-CU5M
● SFP-10G-AOC10M
● SFP-10G-T-X
● Finisar-LR (FTLX1471D3BCL)
● Finisar-SR (FTLX8574D3BC)
● SFP-H10GB-CU1M
● SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M
● SFP-H10GB-CU2M
● SFP-H10GB-CU2-5M
● SFP-H10GB-CU3M
● SFP-H10GB-ACU7M
● SFP-10G-AOC1M
● SFP-10G-AOC2M
● SFP-10G-AOC3M
● SFP-10G-AOC5M
● SFP-10G-AOC7M
● SFP-10G-ZR-I
● SFP-10/25G-CSR-S
● SFP-10/25G-LR-S
● SFP-10/25G-LR-I
● SFP-10/25G-CSR-S
● SFP-10/25G-LR-S
● SFP-10/25G-LR-I
● SFP-10/25G-BXD-I
● SFP-10/25G-BXU-I
|
| Enhanced SFP (SFP+)
CW9800H1 Only |
● SFP-25G-ER-I
● SFP-25G-SR-S
● SFP-25G-AOC2M
● SFP-25G-AOC10M
● SFP-25G-AOC5M
● SFP-H25G-CU1M
● SFP-H25G-CU5M
● SFP-25G-AOC3M
● SFP-25G-AOC7M
● SFP-25G-AOC1M
|
| Quad SFP (QSFP)
CW9800H2 only |
● QSFP-40G-SR4
● QSFP-40G-CSR4
● QSFP-40G-SR4-S
● QSFP-40G-SR-BD
● QSFP-40G-LR4-S
● QSFP-40G-LR4
● QSFP-40G-ER4
● QSFP-H40G-CU5M
● QSFP-H40G-AOC10M
● QSFP-H40G-AOC30M
● QSFP-H40G-CU4M
● QSFP-H40G-ACU10M
● QSFP-H40G-AOC2M
● QSFP-H40G-AOC5M
● QSFP-H40G-CU2M
● QSFP-H40G-CU3M
● QSFP-H40G-CU1M
● QSFP-H40G-ACU7M
● QSFP-H40G-AOC1M
● QSFP-H40G-AOC3M
● QSFP-H40G-AOC7M
● QSFP-H40G-AOC15M
● QSFP-H40G-AOC20M
● QSFP-H40G-AOC25M
● QSFP-H40G-CU0-5M
|
Q. What are the SFP/SFP+ optics supported with the Cisco CW9800L?
A.
| Type |
Modules supported |
| 1G SFP |
GLC-TE |
| GLC-LH-SMD |
| GLC-SX-MMD |
| 10G SFP |
SFP-10G-SR |
| SFP-10G-SR-S |
| SFP-10G-LR |
| SFP-10G-LR-S |
| SFP-H10GB-CU2.5M |
| SFP-H10GB-CU3M |
| SFP-H10GB-CU5M |
| SFP-H10GB-ACU7M |
| SFP-H10GB-ACU10M |
| Finisar-LR (FTLX1471D3BCL) |
| Finisar-SR (FTLX8574D3BC) |
| SFP-10G-AOC1M |
| SFP-10G-AOC2M |
| SFP-10G-AOC3M |
| SFP-10G-AOC5M |
| SFP-10G-AOC7M |
| SFP-10G-AOC10M |
| SFP-10G-SR-I |
| SFP-10G-BXD-I |
| SFP-10G-BXU-I |
Q. Are power supplies and modules hot swappable in the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances?
A. Yes, the power supplies and modules are hot swappable.
Q. Can the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers be deployed using two post rack mounts?
A. Yes, the Cisco Catalyst CW9800M, CW9800H1, and CW9800H2 Wireless Controllers can be deployed using two post rack mounts. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-L is a one-rack mount.
Q. Is Cisco IOS XE Software preinstalled when shipping?
A. Yes. The latest 17.x manufacturing default release.
Q. What is the product warranty for the Cisco Catalyst CW9800H2, CW9800H1, CW9800M, CW9800L, and C9800-L Wireless Controllers?
Q. What is the maximum power draw for the Cisco Catalyst CW9800H2, CW9800H1, CW9800M, CW9800L, and C9800-L Wireless Controllers?
A. The Cisco Catalyst CW9800M draws up to 350W of power, the CW9800H1 and CW9800H2 draw up to 500W of power, the CW9800L draws up to 110W of power, and the 9800-L draws 110W of power.
Q. What are the mean time between failures (MTBF) rates for the Cisco Catalyst CW9800M, CW9800H1, CW9800H2, CW9800L, and 9800-L Wireless Controllers?
A.
Table 11. MTBF rates
| Wireless controller |
Mean time between failures (in hours) |
| CW9800H2 |
145,473 |
| CW9800H1 |
143,835 |
| CW9800M |
147,827 |
| CW9800L |
200,000 |
| C9800-L |
100,000 |
Q. Can I configure two different 9800 models to be in High Availability (HA) Stateful Switchover (SSO) mode?
A. No. Only like models can be used in HA SSO pairs.
Q. Is there a redundancy port in the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances?
A. Yes, a separate copper and fiber redundancy port is available. Only one can be used at a time for high availability connectivity between active and standby wireless controllers.
Q. Are the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances Wi-Fi certified?
A. Refer to the data sheet for all certifications.
Q. Are the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller appliances certified by the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS), Common Criteria (CC), and Department of Defense Unified Capabilities Approved Products List (UCAPL)?
A. Yes, the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers are FIPS certified via a compliance review for R17.x manufacturing default release and via National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) validation for R16.12. For a listing of all Cisco compliance reviews, go to
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/industries/government/global-government-certifications/fips-140.html. Cisco is fully committed to the compliance review and NIST validation process and will continue to pursue certifications for newer versions of software on the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers. Cisco Catalyst CW9800 models are pending certification.
Q. Does the customer replace the entire appliance for a power supply failure?
A. No, the power supply is field replaceable, with no requirement to replace the appliance.
Q. When does the customer replace the entire appliance?
A. For any component failure, except for the power supply and uplink modules, the entire appliance should be replaced.
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers for Cloud
Q. What are the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wireless Controllers for Cloud?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wireless Controllers for Cloud (9800-CL) are the next generation of enterprise-class virtual wireless controllers built for high availability and security. They are based on an x86 CPU and run a modern operating system and open Cisco IOS XE Software, which supports model-driven programmability, streaming telemetry, and patching.
The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud provides customers with flexibility and complete customization in deployment modes as well as feature richness in private and public clouds. It delivers high-speed, secure wireless services with differentiating features like zero-touch access point provisioning, high availability, application visibility and control, and more. The Cisco IOS XE Software enables customers to deploy a virtual wireless controller inside their private data center on hypervisors like VMware ESXi, open-source KVM, Cisco ENCS, Microsoft Hyper-V, or in a public cloud on Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Google Cloud Platform (GCP) with the same enterprise-class networking features and services that they currently have on their hardware-based appliance, all configured and monitored via standard programmable interfaces.
Q. What is the customer value proposition for the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wireless Controllers for Cloud?
A. Work environments are transforming to digital workplaces. To provide an always-on network with the desired performance for high-density environments, enterprises must deliver a wireless network that accommodates digital workspace transformation requirements with the efficiency and flexibility of a Virtual Machine (VM) deployment to move businesses at much higher speeds. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud is the next generation of enterprise-class virtual wireless controllers. It runs Cisco IOS XE Software and provides customers with the flexibility to deploy in private and public clouds. The benefits of the virtual version of the next-generation wireless controller include:
● Agility: Faster time to test, deploy, and roll out wireless network and services.
● Scalability: The option to scale up to 6,000 access points and 64,000 wireless clients on a single virtual instance and can be quickly replicated, spawning multiple virtual instances to manage the increasing demands of wireless networks.
● Global footprint: The availability of the same virtual controller software in different regions for private and public clouds provides customers the flexibility to deploy and manage the wireless network the way they want, quickly and efficiently.
● Cost-effectiveness: Customers who already have a VM environment in a private or public cloud can benefit from operational cost savings by deploying a virtual controller, since it can reside with other VMs sharing existing virtualization infrastructure with no extra cost of hardware, power, and rack space.
● Ease of operation: Customers have the flexibility to deploy a next-generation virtual wireless controller as a VM, benefiting from ease of operation and deployment to remote locations. The VM form factor makes it easy to dynamically scale to support the needs of a rapidly growing enterprise, enabling a much more efficient use of resources by adding more CPU and storage resources. By moving to a VM-based deployment that has more memory and compute, more services can be managed on the network.
Q. What does “CL” stand for in the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud model number?
A. “CL” in the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud model number stands for the cloud option within the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers. The 9800-CL is the next generation of enterprise-class virtual wireless controllers that runs Cisco IOS XE Software and provides customers the flexibility to deploy in private and public clouds.
Q. Are there multiple Cisco IOS XE Software images to install private and public clouds for different scale?
A. No, there is a single Cisco IOS XE Software image that can be used to deploy VM in private or public clouds for any scale. Customers can go to Cisco.com to download a Cisco IOS XE Software image for VMware ESXi, open-source KVM, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Cisco ENCS to deploy in a private cloud and can also go to Amazon MarketPlace or Google Cloud Platform (GCP) to deploy and manage the wireless controller in a public cloud.
Q. What mechanisms support onboarding access points with the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wireless Controller for Cloud?
A. For easy onboarding of access points, the customer can use the plug-and-play functionality of Cisco DNA Center for private cloud or the Cisco plug-and-play connect server for private and public cloud. The customer can also use any regular Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points (CAPWAP) discovery methods, such as layer 3 CAPWAP discovery, locally stored wireless controller IPv4 or IPv6 address discovery, DHCP server discovery using option 43, DHCP server discovery using option 52, DNS discovery, and others to onboard Cisco access points on private and public clouds.
Q. Which Cisco access points are supported with the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wireless Controller for Cloud?
A. All 802.11ac Wave 1 and Wave 2 indoor and outdoor Cisco Aironet access points and 802.11ax Cisco Catalyst 9100 access points are supported.
Q. Is there a tool to migrate my existing AireOS wireless controller configuration to the Cisco IOS XE Software-based wireless controller configuration?
A. Yes, there is an integrated tool in the WebUI of the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud that can help migrate existing AireOS wireless controller configurations. A standalone tool is available on
Cisco.com, which can help in migrating an existing AireOS wireless controller configuration to 9800 WLC.
Q. Is programmability supported on the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wireless Controller for Cloud?
A. Yes, the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud runs a modern operating system—the open Cisco IOS XE Software—that supports model-driven programmability and streaming telemetry. More information can be found on the
deployment guide.
Q. How many Cisco access points and wireless clients are supported for private cloud?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud is the next generation of enterprise-class virtual wireless controllers that runs Cisco IOS XE Software and supports up to 6,000 access points and 64,000 wireless clients on a single VM in a private cloud.
Q. What are the different scale options supported by the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud for a private cloud?
A. While installing VM in a private cloud using a single Cisco IOS XE Software image, the customer will have the flexibility to choose different templates based on their wireless scale requirements. Three templates (small, medium, and large) are supported while installing VM. Based on the template selected, CPU and memory are allocated, which in turn will decide how many access points and clients can be supported.
● Small template: Up to 1,000 access points and 10,000 wireless clients
● Medium template: Up to 3,000 access points and 32,000 wireless clients
● Large template: Up to 6,000 access points and 64,000 wireless clients for FlexConnect and SD-Access deployments
Q. What is the maximum throughput supported in a private cloud?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud, when deployed in a private cloud, supports up to 2.1 Gbps of throughput.
Q. Which deployment modes are supported for a private cloud?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud, when deployed in a private cloud, supports Cisco access points in Local mode, centralized and SD-Access deployment, FlexConnect mode, and Bridge and Flex+Bridge modes.
Q. Will the private cloud support all the features supported on the appliance?
A. Yes. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud, when deployed in a private cloud, will support all the features and deployment modes supported by the hardware appliance with 2.1 Gbps of throughput.
Q. Will a private cloud support high availability?
A. Yes. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud, when deployed in a private cloud, will support high availability with access point and client Stateful Switchover (SSO) between VMs residing on the same or different virtualization infrastructures.
Q. Can the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud work as a guest anchor when deployed in a private cloud?
A. Yes. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud can be configured as a guest anchor wireless controller when deployed in a private cloud.
Q. Which management capabilities are available for the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud when deployed in a private cloud?
A. When deployed in a private cloud, the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud can be managed using the on-board Cisco IOS XE Software WebUI, using Cisco Prime Infrastructure, Netconf/YANG, and the Cisco IOS Software Command-Line Interface (CLI). The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud has been designed to work with Cisco Catalyst Center using the Cisco Catalyst Center appliance.
Q. Can Cisco Catalyst Center manage the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud for automation and assurance?
A. Yes, the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud, when deployed in a private cloud, can be managed from Cisco Catalyst Center for automation and assurance workflows.
Q. Which hypervisor tools and functionality are supported for a private cloud?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud runs Cisco IOS XE Software and can be deployed as a VM inside the customer’s data center on hypervisors such as VMware ESXi, open-source KVM, Microsoft Hyper-V, and as Cisco NFVIS on the Cisco ENCS.
Table 12 lists the supported functionality on different VMware tools.
Table 12. Supported functionality on VMware tools.
| VMware functionality |
vCenter |
vSphere client |
| VM snapshot |
Yes |
Yes |
| VM migration |
Yes |
N/A |
| VM backup and restore |
Yes |
N/A |
| NIC teaming |
Yes |
Yes |
| vMotion |
Yes |
N/A |
For Hyper-V, the network interface card (NIC) teaming and checkpoint features are supported.
Q. Which network adapters are supported for a private cloud?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud runs Cisco IOS XE Software and can be deployed as a VM inside a customer’s data center on hypervisors such as VMware ESXi, open-source KVM, Microsoft Hyper-V, and as Cisco NFVIS on the Cisco ENCS.
Table 13 lists the supported network adapters for VMware ESXi, open-source KVM, and Microsoft Hyper-V hypervisors.
Table 13. Supported network adapters
| Adapter |
VMware ESXi |
Open-source KVM |
Microsoft Hyper-V |
| vNIC adapters support |
VMXNET3 |
|
|
| E1000E |
VIRTIO |
NetVSC |
| E1000 |
|
|
Q. Can an existing AireOS wireless controller coexist with a Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud private cloud?
A. Yes. An AireOS wireless controller can coexist with a Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud private cloud. Inter-Release Controller Mobility (IRCM) is supported with AireOS 8.5 MR3 (special), AireOS 8.5 MR4 (special), and AireOS 8.8 MR2 release.
Q. How many Cisco access points and wireless clients are supported for a public cloud?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud is the next generation of enterprise-class virtual wireless controllers that run Cisco IOS XE Software, supporting up to 6,000 access points and 64,000 wireless clients on a single VM in a public cloud.
Q. What are the scale options for a Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud for a public cloud?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud in a public cloud supports a single template, which will install resources on virtualization infrastructure to support up to 6,000 access points and 64,000 wireless clients on a single VM. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud in a public cloud supports three templates: small, medium, or large for different wireless scale requirements.
● Small template: Up to 1,000 access points and 10,000 wireless clients
● Medium template: Up to 3,000 access points and 32,000 wireless clients
● Large template: Up to 6,000 access points and 64,000 wireless clients
Q. Which deployment modes are supported for a public cloud?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud supports Cisco access points in FlexConnect mode when deployed in a public cloud. It will also support FlexConnect central authentication and local switching deployment when the access points are configured in FlexConnect mode.
Q. What is the maximum throughput supported in a public cloud?
A. Since the Cisco Catalyst C9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud, when deployed in public cloud, supports FlexConnect local switching deployment only, there is no data traffic that goes to the wireless controller.
Q. Will a public cloud support all the features supported with FlexConnect deployment?
A. Yes. The Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud, when deployed in a public cloud, supports all the features supported for FlexConnect central authentication and local switching deployment.
Q. Will a public cloud support high availability?
A. When deployed in a public cloud, the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud supports FlexConnect local switching deployment only. There is no need to support access point and client SSO in the public cloud. If, for any reason, a Cisco access point loses connectivity to the wireless controller, that Cisco access point moves to stand-alone mode and will be able to serve new and existing wireless clients with no network downtime.
Q. Is guest anchor supported in a public cloud?
A. No, guest anchor deployment is not supported when the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud is deployed in a public cloud. For guest onboarding, the WLAN can be configured with local web authentication or central web authentication, and traffic will be switched locally from a Cisco access point to reach the guest portal.
Q. Which management capabilities are available for the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud when deployed in a public cloud?
A. When deployed in a public cloud, the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud can be managed using the onboard Cisco IOS XE Software WebUI, Netconf/YANG, or Cisco IOS Software CLI.
Q. Is managed VPN mandatory to deploy the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud in a public cloud?
A. Yes, managed VPN is mandatory to deploy the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud in a public cloud.
Q. Can the Cisco Cloud Services Router 1000V (CSR) be used to deploy managed VPN in a public cloud?
A. Yes. The Cisco CSR can be used to deploy managed VPN when the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud is deployed in a public cloud.
Q. For public cloud deployment, where are the AAA server and Active Directory (AD) located?
A. When deployed in a public cloud only, the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud supports FlexConnect central authentication and local switching deployment. It is recommended to locate the AAA server and AD in the customer’s on-premises data center.
Q. What is the recommended EC2 instance for a public cloud deployment?
A. The recommended Amazon EC2 instance when the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud is deployed in a public cloud is “c5.xlarge” for the small template, “c5.2xlarge” for the medium template, and “c5.4xlarge” for the large template.
Q. Is the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud available in all regions for public cloud deployment?
A. Yes, the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud is available in all regions for deploying a virtual wireless controller in a public cloud.
Q. Is the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud available in the AWS GovCloud region?
A. Yes, the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud is available in the AWS GovCloud region to deploy a virtual wireless controller.
Q. Can I have multiple managed VPN connections from every branch to terminate on a cloud router?
A. Yes. Multiple VPN connections can be established from every branch router to the Cisco CSR for direct reachability from Cisco access points in the branch to the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud when deployed in a public cloud.
Q. Can I deploy an N+1 wireless controller in the public cloud for high availability?
A. Yes. An N+1 wireless controller can be deployed with the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud in the public cloud by configuring a primary, secondary, and tertiary wireless controller per access point.
Q. Can I have a hybrid model with a wireless controller in the cloud configured as a secondary controller for access points joined on a private cloud?
A. Yes, the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud, when deployed in a public cloud, can be configured as a secondary or tertiary wireless controller per access point when access points have joined the wireless controller in a private cloud as primary controller.
Q. What is the SKU/PID for the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for Cloud?
A. The SKU/PID is C9800-CL-K9. There is a single PID/SKU for private and public cloud.
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller licensing
Q. Do I need any licenses for the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers?
A. There are no licenses required to boot up a Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller. However, in order to connect any access points to the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller, Cisco DNA licenses are required. Each access point that connects to the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller requires a Cisco DNA license to be entitled to connect.
Q. Is it mandatory to have Cisco DNA licenses for every access point to connect to the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers?
A. Yes. It is mandatory to have a Cisco DNA license for every access point that is connected to the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers. The access points without a valid license will be out of license compliance and Cisco retains the right to conduct audits to check license compliance.
Q. What steps are required to purchase a Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller license?
A. Follow these steps to enable day 1 licensing:
1. Create a Smart Account. (Visit https://software.cisco.com/clc to create a Smart Account.)
2. Register the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller using the Smart Account.
3. For customers who are refreshing wireless LAN controllers (WLCs):
a Deposit existing Cisco DNA licenses, if any, into the Smart Account.
b Leverage offers to migrate existing perpetual licenses to Cisco DNA licenses.
4. For customers who are scaling up their deployments and for new customers:
a Purchase Cisco DNA licenses for access points connecting to the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller.
b Configure the license level on the box post-bootup.
Q. Is a Smart Account mandatory for the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers?
A. Yes, a Smart Account is mandatory for the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers.
Q. How do I create a Smart Account?
Q. How do I use licenses on my Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller upon purchase?
Q. What happens if I don’t register my Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller?
A. If the device is not registered it will be in evaluation mode for 90 days. After the expiration of the evaluation period, a device that is not registered will display "syslog evaluation" expiration messages. These error messages are purely informational and will not affect the functionality of the wireless controller.
Q. How do I deposit my existing Cisco DNA licenses into my Smart Account?
A. Customers who have Cisco DNA licenses and don’t have Smart Accounts will have to deposit the licenses into the Smart Account. This can be done by contacting the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC).
Q. How do I migrate my existing perpetual licenses to Cisco DNA licenses?
A. You can leverage wireless promotions to migrate your perpetual access point licenses to Cisco DNA licenses. All access points must be covered by Cisco DNA licenses.
Q. What are the Smart Licensing levels that Cisco Catalyst controllers support?
A. Cisco Catalyst controllers can be configured to function at any one of these four levels.
● Cisco DNA E: At this level, the Cisco DNA Essentials feature set will be supported.
● Cisco DNA A: At this level, the Cisco DNA Advantage feature set will be supported.
● NE: At this level, the Network Essentials feature set will be supported.
● NA: At this level, the Network Advantage feature set will be supported.
For a more detailed overview on Cisco Licensing, visit the
Licensing Hub
Q. How are the Smart License levels configured for Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers?
A. License levels can be configured through the WLC UI and Cisco Catalyst Center. Following are sample configurations for license levels:
● Config t
#license air level ?
air-network-advantage AIR Network advantage license level
air-network-essentials AIR Network essential license level
#license air level air-network-essentials addon?
air-dna-essentials AIR DNA essential license level
#license air level air-network-advantage addon?
air-dna-advantage AIR DNA advantage license level
Q. Can I mix different licensing levels for the access points connected to the same Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller?
A. No. A Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Controller requires all connected access points to have the same license level because the license level is set up at the controller level.
Q. How can I track my Cisco DNA license consumption on a Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller?
A. Cisco DNA license consumption can be tracked through the Cisco Catalyst Center appliance. Cisco Catalyst Center will help to track license entitlement, license levels, license mode, and license consumption.
Q. Is there licensing enforcement on the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller?
A. The Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers perform soft enforcement by displaying an out-of-compliance message if sufficient Cisco DNA licenses are not available to cover all the connected access points. There is no hard enforcement and hence no impact on wireless functionality.
Q. What happens when the Cisco DNA subscription term expires for access points connected to a Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller?
A. Upon expiration of the Cisco DNA term, customers have two options:
● Renew the Cisco DNA license term.
● Configure the controller at the Network Essentials or Network Advantage license level.
Q. What is the impact of hardware RMA on the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Controller’s licensing?
A. There is no impact on licenses due to hardware RMA. Customers can reconnect their access points to the new wireless controller post-RMA without any licensing impact.
Q. I noticed that WLC-AP-T was removed from DNA configurations. What has changed?
A. Short answer: not much. WLC-AP-T was an included component in the AIR-DNA configuration. We have recently implemented a change and removal of WLC-AP-T does not cause any functional change. WLC-AP-T isn’t required for licenses; it is covered by network stack Essentials/Advantage. WLC-AP-T was previously supposed to reflect the access point adder license, however the same feature set and value is derived via network stack licenses now making WLC-AP-T redundant.
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller and Cisco Catalyst Center integration
Q. What is the minimum Cisco Catalyst Center release version needed to support the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller?
A. Starting with Release 1.2.8 (for C9800) and 2.3.7.5 (for CW9800) of Cisco Catalyst Center, the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers will be supported for automation and assurance workflows.
Q. Will Cisco Catalyst Center support the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers for all deployment modes?
A. Yes, starting with Release 1.2.8 (for C9800) and 2.3.7.5 (for CW9800) of Cisco Catalyst Center, all deployment modes, including centralized wireless, FlexConnect, and fabric (SD-Access), will be supported for automation and assurance workflows.
Q. Will Cisco Catalyst Center support all form factors of the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers?
A. Cisco Catalyst Center will support the following form factors of the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers:
● Cisco Catalyst CW9800M Wireless Controller
● Cisco Catalyst CW9800H1 Wireless Controller
● Cisco Catalyst CW9800H2 Wireless Controller
● Cisco Catalyst 9800-L Wireless Controller
● Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wireless Controller for private cloud
● Cisco Embedded Wireless Controller on Catalyst Access Points
Q. What is the supported scale for Cisco Catalyst Center with the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers?
A. Cisco Catalyst Center Release 1.2.8 (for C9800) and 2.3.7.5 (for CW9800) will support 3,000 access points and 25,000 wireless clients for the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller.
Q. Can I learn configurations from a brownfield AireOS wireless controller and transfer them to a Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller?
A. Yes. Cisco Catalyst Center will learn configurations from an AireOS wireless controller and automate the supported design workflows for a site. The customer can provision a new Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller with the learned design. There is no need to manually convert the configuration in the above scenario.
Q. How do I push advanced configurations that are not supported using Cisco Catalyst Center?
A. Command-line interface templates can be used as a mechanism to push advanced configuration onto Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers.
Q. I have an existing Cisco Prime
® instance. Can Cisco Prime and Cisco Catalyst Center coexist?
A. Yes. In a coexisting scenario, you can use Cisco Prime and Cisco Catalyst Center for the following:
● Cisco Catalyst Center for assurance and Cisco Prime for automation and reporting.
● Cisco Catalyst Center for automation and assurance and Cisco Prime for additional monitoring and reporting functionalities.
● Cisco does not recommend using both Cisco Prime and Cisco Catalyst Center for automation and configuration changes.
Q. Does Cisco Catalyst Center Release 1.2.8 support all assurance workflows for the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers as supported today with AireOS wireless controllers?
A. Yes. All assurance workflows supported in Cisco DNA Center Release 1.2.8 for AireOS wireless controllers will be supported for Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers.
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller product documentation and migration
Q. Where can I find the data sheet for the Cisco Catalyst CW9800M Wireless Controller?
Q. Where can I find the data sheet for the Cisco Catalyst CW9800H1 Wireless Controller?
Q. Where can I find the data sheet for the Cisco Catalyst CW9800H2 Wireless Controller?
Q. Where can I find the data sheet for the Cisco Catalyst 9800-L Wireless Controller?
Q. Where can I find the data sheet for the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller?