Cisco 5508 - Wireless Controller - Network Management... User manual

© 2012 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 1 of 8
Data Sheet
Maximum Performance and Scalability
●Support for up to 500 access points and 7000 clients
●802.11n optimized for up to nine times the
performance of 802.11a/g networks
●Enhanced uptime with the ability to simultaneously
configure and manage 500 access points per controller
Improved Mobility and Services
●Larger mobility domain for more simultaneous client
associations
●Faster radio resource management (RRM) updates for
uninterrupted network access when roaming
●Intelligent RF control plane for self-configuration, self-
healing, and self-optimization
●Efficient roaming improves application performance
such as toll quality, voice, and consistent streaming of
video and data backup
Licensing Flexibility and Investment Protection
●Additional access point capacity licenses may be
added over time
Cisco OfficeExtend Solution
●Secure, simple, cost-effective mobile teleworker
solution
●Up to 500 remote access points per controller
●Supports Cisco® Unified IP Phones for reduced cell
phone charges
Comprehensive Wired/Wireless Security
●Full Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access
Points (CAPWAP) access-point-to-controller encryption
●Supports rogue access point detection and denial-of-
service attacks
●Management frame protection detects malicious users
and alerts network administrators
Enterprise Wireless Mesh
●Dynamic wireless mesh networks support indoor and
outdoor connectivity for areas that are difficult to wire
Environmentally Responsible
●Support for adaptive power management to turn off
access point radios during off-peak hours to reduce
power consumption
●OfficeExtend solution reduces costs and supports
green best practices by reducing commuting time and
saving on gas, vehicle mileage, and insurance costs
Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controllers
The Cisco®5500 Series Wireless Controller, shown in Figure 1,
is a highly scalable and flexible platform that enables
systemwide services for mission-critical wireless networking in
medium-sized to large enterprises and campus environments.
Designed for 802.11n performance and maximum scalability,
the 5500 Series offers enhanced uptime with:
●RF visibility and protection
●The ability to simultaneously manage up to 500 access
points
●Superior performance for reliable streaming video and
toll quality voice
●Improved fault recovery for a consistent mobility
experience in the most demanding environments
Figure 1. Cisco 5500 Series Wireless LAN Controller
Features
Optimized for high-performance wireless networking, the 5500
Series offers improved mobility and prepares the business for
the next wave of mobile devices and applications. The 5500
Series supports a higher density of clients and delivers more
efficient roaming, with at least nine times the throughput of
existing 802.11a/g networks.
The 5500 Series automates wireless configuration and
management functions and allows network managers to have
the visibility and control needed to cost-effectively manage,
secure, and optimize the performance of their wireless
networks. With integrated Cisco CleanAir™technology, the
5500 Series protects 802.11n performance by providing cross-network access to real-time and historic RF
interference information for quick, troubleshooting and resolution. As a component of the Cisco Unified Wireless
Network, this controller provides real-time communications between Cisco Aironet®access points, the Cisco
Wireless Control System (WCS), and the Cisco Mobility Services Engine to deliver centralized security policies,
wireless intrusion prevention system (IPS) capabilities, award-winning RF management, and quality of service
(QoS).

© 2012 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 2 of 8
Software Licensing Flexibility
Base access point licensing offers flexibility to add up to 500 additional access points as business needs grow. The
licensing structure supports a variety of business mobility needs as part of the basic feature set, including the Cisco
OfficeExtend solution for secure, mobile teleworking and Cisco Enterprise Wireless Mesh, which allows access
points to dynamically establish wireless connections in locations where it may be difficult or impossible to physically
connect to the wired network.
Table 1 lists the features of the Cisco 5500 Series Wireless LAN Controllers.
Table 1. Cisco 5500 Series Wireless LAN Controller Features
Feature
Benefits
Scalability
●Supports 12, 25, 50,100, 250, or 500 access points for business-critical wireless services at locations of
all sizes
High Performance
●Wired speed, nonblocking performance for 802.11n networks
RF Management
●Provides both real-time and historical information about RF interference impacting network performance
across controllers, via systemwide Cisco CleanAir technology integration
OfficeExtend
●Supports corporate wireless service for mobile and remote workers with secure wired tunnels to the
Cisco Aironet®1130 or 1140 Series Access Points
●Extends the corporate network to remote locations with minimal setup and maintenance requirements
(zero-touch deployment)
●Improves productivity and collaboration at remote site locations
●Separate SSID tunnels allow both corporate and personal Internet access
●Reduced CO2 emissions from decrease in commuting
●Higher employee job satisfaction from ability to work at home
●Improves business resiliency by providing continuous, secure connectivity in the event of disasters,
pandemics, or inclement weather
Comprehensive End-to-End
Security
●Offers Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points (CAPWAP) compliant DTLS encryption to
ensure full-line-rate encryption between access points and controllers across remote WAN/LAN links
Enterprise Wireless Mesh
●Allows access points to dynamically establish wireless connections without the need for a physical
connection to the wired network
●Available on select Cisco Aironet access points, Enterprise Wireless Mesh is ideal for warehouses,
manufacturing floors, shopping centers and any other location where extending a wired connection may
prove difficult or aesthetically unappealing
High Performance Video
●Integrates Cisco VideoStream technology as part of the medianet framework to optimize the delivery of
video applications across the WLAN
End-to-end Voice
●Supports Unified Communications for improved collaboration through messaging, presence, and
conferencing
●Supports all Cisco Unified Communications Wireless IP Phones for cost-effective, real-time voice
services
High Availability
●An optional redundant power supply that helps to ensure maximum availability
Environmentally Responsible
●Organizations may choose to turn off access point radios to reduce power consumption during off peak
hours
Mobility, security and
management for IPv6 & dual-
stack clients
●Secure, reliable wireless connectivity and consistent end-user experience
●Increased network availability through proactive blocking of known threats
●Equips administrators for IPv6 troubleshooting, planning, and client traceability from a common wired
and wireless management system

© 2012 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 3 of 8
Table 2 lists the product specifications for Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controllers.
Table 2. Product Specifications for Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controllers
Item
Specifications
Wireless
IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11d, WMM/802.11e, 802.11h, 802.11n, 802.11u
Wired/Switching/Routing
IEEE 802.3 10BASE-T, IEEE 802.3u 100BASE-TX specification, 1000BASE-T. 1000BASE-SX, 1000-BASE-
LH, IEEE 802.1Q Vtagging, and IEEE 802.1AX Link Aggregation.
Data Request For Comments
(RFC)
●RFC 768 UDP
●RFC 791 IP
●RFC 2460 IPv6 (pass through Bridging mode only)
●RFC 792 ICMP
●RFC 793 TCP
●RFC 826 ARP
●RFC 1122 Requirements for Internet Hosts
●RFC 1519 CIDR
●RFC 1542 BOOTP
●RFC 2131 DHCP
●RFC 5415 CAPWAP Protocol Specification
●RFC 5416 CAPWAP Binding for 802.11
Security Standards
●WPA
●IEEE 802.11i (WPA2, RSN)
●RFC 1321 MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm
●RFC 1851 The ESP Triple DES Transform
●RFC 2104 HMAC: Keyed Hashing for Message Authentication
●RFC 2246 TLS Protocol Version 1.0
●RFC 2401 Security Architecture for the Internet Protocol
●RFC 2403 HMAC-MD5-96 within ESP and AH
●RFC 2404 HMAC-SHA-1-96 within ESP and AH
●RFC 2405 ESP DES-CBC Cipher Algorithm with Explicit IV
●RFC 2406 IPsec
●RFC 2407 Interpretation for ISAKMP
●RFC 2408 ISAKMP
●RFC 2409 IKE
●RFC 2451 ESP CBC-Mode Cipher Algorithms
●RFC 3280 Internet X.509 PKI Certificate and CRL Profile
●RFC 3602 The AES-CBC Cipher Algorithm and Its Use with IPsec
●RFC 3686 Using AES Counter Mode with IPsec ESP
●RFC 4347 Datagram Transport Layer Security
●RFC 4346 TLS Protocol Version 1.1
Encryption
●WEP and TKIP-MIC: RC4 40, 104 and 128 bits (both static and shared keys)
●AES: CBC, CCM, CCMP
●DES: DES-CBC, 3DES
●SSL and TLS: RC4 128-bit and RSA 1024- and 2048-bit
●DTLS: AES-CBC
●IPSec: DES-CBC, 3DES, AES-CBC
Authentication, Authorization,
and Accounting (AAA)
●IEEE 802.1X
●RFC 2548 Microsoft Vendor-Specific RADIUS Attributes
●RFC 2716 PPP EAP-TLS
●RFC 2865 RADIUS Authentication
●RFC 2866 RADIUS Accounting
●RFC 2867 RADIUS Tunnel Accounting
●RFC 2869 RADIUS Extensions
●RFC 3576 Dynamic Authorization Extensions to RADIUS
●RFC 3579 RADIUS Support for EAP

© 2012 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 4 of 8
Item
Specifications
●RFC 3580 IEEE 802.1X RADIUS Guidelines
●RFC 3748 Extensible Authentication Protocol
●Web-based authentication
●TACACS support for management users
Management
●SNMP v1, v2c, v3
●RFC 854 Telnet
●RFC 1155 Management Information for TCP/IP-Based Internets
●RFC 1156 MIB
●RFC 1157 SNMP
●RFC 1213 SNMP MIB II
●RFC 1350 TFTP
●RFC 1643 Ethernet MIB
●RFC 2030 SNTP
●RFC 2616 HTTP
●RFC 2665 Ethernet-Like Interface types MIB
●RFC 2674 Definitions of Managed Objects for Bridges with Traffic Classes, Multicast Filtering, and
Virtual Extensions
●RFC 2819 RMON MIB
●RFC 2863 Interfaces Group MIB
●RFC 3164 Syslog
●RFC 3414 User-Based Security Model (USM) for SNMPv3
●RFC 3418 MIB for SNMP
●RFC 3636 Definitions of Managed Objects for IEEE 802.3 MAUs
●Cisco private MIBs
Management Interfaces
●Web-based: HTTP/HTTPS
●Command-line interface: Telnet, Secure Shell (SSH) Protocol, serial port
●Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS)
Interfaces and Indicators
●Uplink: 8 (5508) 1000BaseT, 1000Base-SX and 1000Base-LH transceiver slots
●Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) options (only Cisco SFPs supported): GLC-T, GLC-SX-MM, GLC-
LH-SM
●LED indicators: link
●Service Port: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet (RJ45).
●Service Port: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet (RJ45) For High Availability for future use
●LED indicators: link,
●Utility Port: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet (RJ45)
●LED indicators: link
●Expansion Slots: 1 (5508)
●Console Port: RS232 (DB-9 male/RJ-45 connector included), mini-USB
●Other Indicators: Sys, ACT, Power Supply 1, Power Supply 2
Physical and Environmental
●Dimensions (WxDxH): 17.30 x 21.20 x 1.75 in. (440 x 539 x 44.5 mm)
●Weight: 20 lbs (9.1 kg) with 2 power supplies
●Temperature: Operating temperature: 32 to 104°F (0 to 40°C); Storage temperature: –13 to 158°F (–25
to 70°C)
●Humidity: Operating humidity: 10 95%, noncondensing. Storage humidity: up to 95%
●Input power: 100 to 240 VAC; 50/60 Hz; 1.05 A at 110 VAC, 115 W Maximum; 0.523 A at 220 VAC, 115
W Maximum; Test Conditions: Redundant Power Supplies, 40C, Full Traffic.
●Heat Dissipation: 392 BTU/hour at 110/220 VAC Maximum
Regulatory Compliance
CE Mark
Safety:
●UL 60950-1:2003
●EN 60950:2000
●EMI and susceptibility (Class A):
●U.S.: FCC Part 15.107 and 15.109
●Canada: ICES-003
●Japan: VCCI
●Europe: EN 55022, EN 55024

© 2012 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 5 of 8
Tables 3 and Table 4 list the ordering and accessories information for Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controllers.
Table 3. Ordering Information for Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controllers
Part Number
Product Name
Cisco SMARTnet®Service
8x5xNBD
AIR-CT5508-12-K9
5500 Series Wireless Controller for up to 12 Cisco access points
CON-SNT-CT0812
AIR-CT5508-25-K9
5500 Series Wireless Controller for up to 25 Cisco access points
CON-SNT-CT0825
AIR-CT5508-50-K9
5500 Series Wireless Controller for up to 50 Cisco access points
CON-SNT-CT0850
AIR-CT5508-100-K9
5500 Series Wireless Controller for up to 100 Cisco access points
CON-SNT-CT08100
AIR-CT5508-250-K9
5500 Series Wireless Controller for up to 250 Cisco access points
CON-SNT-CT08250
AIR-CT5508-500-K9
5500 Series Wireless Controller for up to 500 Cisco access points
CON-SNT-CT08500
AIR-CT5508-500-2PK
2 Pack 5500 Series Wireless Controller for up to 500 Cisco access points
each (1000 access points total)
CON-SNT-AIRC552P
Table 4. Accessories for Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controllers
Part Number
Product Name
AIR-PWR-5500-AC=
5500 Series Wireless Controller Redundant AC Power Supply
AIR-FAN-5500=
5500 Series Wireless Controller Fan Tray
AIR-CT5500-RK-MNT
5500 Series Wireless Controller Spare mounting kit
Additive Capacity Upgrade Licenses
Tables 5 and 6 list additive capacity upgrade licenses for the Cisco 5500 Series.
Table 5. Ordering Information for Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controllers Additive Capacity Licenses (e-Delivery Product
Authorization Keys [PAKs])
Part Number
Product Description
Cisco SMARTnet
Service 8x5xNBD
e-License
L-LIC-CT5508-UPG
Primary upgrade SKU: Pick any number or combination of the following
options under this SKU to upgrade one or many controllers under one
product authorization key
CON-SNT-LCTUPG
L-LIC-CT5508-25A
25 AP Adder License for the 5508 Controller (eDelivery)
CON-SNT-LCT25A
L-LIC-CT5508-50A
50 AP Adder License for the 5508 Controller (eDelivery)
CON-SNT-LCT50A
L-LIC-CT5508-100A
100 AP Adder License for the 5508 Controller (eDelivery)
CON-SNT-LCT100A
L-LIC-CT5508-250A
250 AP Adder License for the 5508 Controller (eDelivery)
CON-SNT-LCT250A
Table 6. Ordering Information for Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controllers Additive Capacity Licenses (Paper PAKs)
Part Number
Product Description
Cisco SMARTnet
Service 8x5xNBD
Paper
License
LIC-CT5508-UPG
Primary upgrade SKU: Pick any number or combination of the following
options under this SKU, to upgrade one or many controllers under one
product authorization key.
CON-SNT-LCTUPG
LIC-CT5508-25A
25 AP Adder License for the 5508 Controller
CON-SNT-LCT25A
LIC-CT5508-50A
50 AP Adder License for the 5508 Controller
CON-SNT-LCT50A
LIC-CT5508-100A
100 AP Adder License for the 5508 Controller
CON-SNT-LCT100A
LIC-CT5508-250A
250 AP Adder License for the 5508 Controller
CON-SNT-LCT250A

© 2012 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 6 of 8
The additive capacity licenses allow for the increase in access point capacity supported by the controller up to a
maximum of 500 access points. As an example, if a controller was initially ordered with the 250 access point
support, that capacity could be later increased to up to 500 access points by purchasing a 250 access point
additive capacity license (1x-LIC-CT5508-250A).
A certificate with a PAK is required to add additional access point capacity on the Cisco 5500 Series Wireless
Controller.
The certificate may be expedited via email. If a paper certificate is required for customs, it should be ordered to
ship via U.S. mail. Each additive capacity license and PAK must be registered prior to installation.
Ordering and installing the Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controller additive capacity licenses is a three-step
process:
1. Select the correct SKU for email or paper delivery.
2. Register the PAK certificate (see Registering PAK Certificate).
3. Install the license on the Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controller (see Installing License).
Please review the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Configuration Guide, Release 6.0, [[make the reference to the
guide a link]] for detailed ordering, registration, and installation information for the 5500 Series additive capacity
licenses.
Electronic delivery of the same PAKs is available by ordering the e-License SKUs as listed in Table 4. If a paper
certificate is required, please use the SKUs listed in Table 5.
PAK Certificate Registration
Customers are required to register a PAK certificate for all upgrade licenses for the Cisco 5500 Series Wireless
Controllers. Customer email address and host name are required to register the PAK certificate at:
http://www.cisco.com/go/license.
Installing License on Cisco WCS Server
Follow these steps to install a license file. If you need additional help, contact Cisco Technical Assistance Center
(TAC) at 800 553-2447 or [email protected].
1. Install Cisco WCS software if not already completed.
2. Save the license file (.lic) to a temporary directory on your hard drive. (You will receive an email from Cisco
with an attached license file.)
3. Open a supported version of the Internet Explorer browser.
4. In the location or address field, enter the following URL, replacing IP address with the IP address or host name
of the Cisco WCS server: https: // <IP address>.
5. Log in to the Cisco WCS server as system administrator. (Be aware that usernames and passwords are case-
sensitive.)
6. From the Help menu, select Licensing.
7. On the Licensing page, from the Command menu, select Add License.
8. On the Add License page, click Browse to navigate to the location where you saved the .lic file.
9. Click Download. The Cisco WCS server imports the license.

© 2012 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 7 of 8
Table 7 shows the optional DTLS license for Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controllers.
Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS) is required for all OfficeExtend deployments to encrypt the Data Plane
traffic. Customers planning to install this device physically in Russia must order the controller with DTLS
disabled and then obtain a physical PAK in order to enable a DTLS license and should not download the
license from Cisco.com. Please consult your local government regulations to ensure that Data DTLS encryption
is permitted.
If a customer chooses SWC5500K9-60, SWC5500K9-70 or SWC5500K9-72, DTLS Data Encryption is enabled by
default. When a customer orders the 5500 and chooses either SWC5500LPE-K9-70 or SWC5500LPE-K9-72 in the
Optional Licenses TAB, data DTLS Encryption is disabled.
The DTLS Paper PAK license is designated for customers who purchase a controller with DTLS disabled due to
import restrictions but get permission to add DTLS support after initial purchase. This optional DTLS license is
required for Cisco OfficeExtend deployment.
Table 7. Optional Licensing for Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controllers (PAKs)
Part Number
Description
LIC-CT5508-LPE-K9
5508 Wireless Controller DTLS License (Paper PAK)
L-LIC-CT5508-LPE-K9
Cisco 5508 Controller DTLS License (electronic Certificate –must not be ordered by Russian Customers)
Other customers can simply use the procedure outlined below in order to download the DTLS license from CCO.
To Obtain a Data DTLS License:
Step 1. Browse to http://cisco.com/go/license
Step 2. On the Product License Registration page, choose Licenses Not Requiring a PAK.
Step 3. Choose Cisco Wireless Controllers DTLS License under Wireless.
Step 4. Complete the remaining steps to generate the license file. The license will be provided online or via email.
Step 5. Copy the license file to your TFTP server.
Step 6. Install the license by browsing to the WLC Web Administration Page:
Management --> Software Activation --> Commands --> Action: Install License
Step 7. Browse to : Cisco 5508 Wireless Controller Software Download Page
http://www.cisco.com/cisco/software/release.html?mdfid=282600534&release=7.0.230.0&relind=AVAILAB
LE&softwareid=280926587&rellifecycle=ED&reltype=latest
Step 8. Choose the release that corresponds to the SW running on your WLC
Step 9. Choose the NON LDPE software release: AIR-CT5500-K9-X-X-XX.aes
Step 10. Complete the remaining steps to download the software

© 2012 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 8 of 8
Service and Support
Realize the full business value of your wireless network and mobility services investments faster with intelligent,
customized services from Cisco and our partners. Backed by deep networking expertise and a broad ecosystem of
partners, Cisco professional and technical services enable you to successfully plan, build, and run your network as
a powerful business platform. Our services can help you successfully deploy the Cisco 6500 Series Wireless
Services Module 2 Controller and integrate mobility solutions effectively to lower the total cost of ownership and
secure your wireless network.
To learn more about Cisco wireless LAN service offers, visit: http://www.cisco.com/go/wirelesslanservices.
Summary
The Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controller is designed for 802.11n performance and offers maximum scalability for
enterprise and service provider wireless deployments. It simplifies deployment and operation of wireless networks,
helping to ensure smooth performance, enhance security, and maximize network availability. The Cisco 5500
Series Wireless Controller manages all the Cisco access points within campus environments and branch locations,
eliminating complexity and providing network administrators with visibility and control of their wireless LANs.
For More Information
For more information about Cisco wireless controllers, contact your local account representative or visit:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6366/index.html.
For more information about the Cisco Unified Wireless Network framework, visit:
http://www.cisco.com/go/unifiedwireless.
Printed in USA C78-521631-10 02/12