Ubiquiti Controller Hosting (Enterprise)

[Michael]

Hi all,

 

For those of you that host large Ubiquiti setups, where do you host your controller(s)? I've looked online at several options, but not sure what's the best? Potentially we'll have many hundreds of APs, and possibly as many as 100 switches over multiple sites.

 

The options I see available are -

 

- Local cloud controller on a VM serving all

- Multiple cloud controllers on a VM at each site

- A Cloud Key, but none of them are design for large deployments

- Azure, AWS, GCP or Digital Ocean DIY hosting

- Official hosting from Ubiquiti, which may be expensive

 

This then leads me to -

 

- Ease of accessing backups

- Ease of upgrading the controller

 

TIA!

[localzuk]

We run an XG Server - https://www.ui.com/unifi-routing/unifi-xg-server/.

 

Though, you should note that what defines a large setup isn't necessarily the number of switches/APs, but the number of clients using the kit - if you've got 100 switches but only 1 client using each, then a key would be fine.

[Michael]

We run an XG Server - https://www.ui.com/unifi-routing/unifi-xg-server/.

 

Though, you should note that what defines a large setup isn't necessarily the number of switches/APs, but the number of clients using the kit - if you've got 100 switches but only 1 client using each, then a key would be fine.

 

This is very true and I'd estimate it to be 2000+ clients over multiple sites, but load will vary, plus BOYD could increase that number drastically. It's difficult to pinpoint a real concurrent use without looking at stats first.

[localzuk]

This is very true and I'd estimate it to be 2000+ clients over multiple sites, but load will vary, plus BOYD could increase that number drastically. It's difficult to pinpoint a real concurrent use without looking at stats first.

Ah, yeah, for that many clients the Cloud Keys would be useless. The XG server should handle it fine though.

[Michael]

Presumably this includes Ubiquiti and the latest version of the controller installed, at the point of shipping?

[localzuk]

Presumably this includes Ubiquiti and the latest version of the controller installed, at the point of shipping?

Yeah, though the one we received had the apt repo set to the long term stable edition. I changed it to current, to get the latest feature updates.

 

It also has UniFi video, UCRM, UNMS and Unifi EoT stuff easily installable on it via a web panel, if any of it was any use to you.

[AJWhite1970]

It also has UniFi video, UCRM, UNMS and Unifi EoT stuff easily installable on it via a web panel, if any of it was any use to you.

 

Sorry for the thread crashing but just curious as thinking about the XG at the mo, how does it handle video storage for the cameras or does it still need a NVR as well?

[localzuk]

Sorry for the thread crashing but just curious as thinking about the XG at the mo, how does it handle video storage for the cameras or does it still need a NVR as well?

It has 2 x 2TB HDDs in it, plus the OS SSD. So it records to the HDDs. We don't actually use that aspect of it though yet.

[PotNoodleTech]

TBH I just shoved it on it's own VM as.....well it's free thanks to the beauty of virtualisation.

 

The XG box looks a beast but it's a pretty penny and I do wonder about it's long term reliability (cloud keys have a reputation for failing).

 

I know my VM will be reliable.

[Arthur]

The options I see available are -

 

- Local cloud controller on a VM serving all

- Multiple cloud controllers on a VM at each site

- A Cloud Key, but none of them are design for large deployments

- Azure, AWS, GCP or Digital Ocean DIY hosting

- Official hosting from Ubiquiti, which may be expensive

There's another option too. Third-party hosting through a company like HostiFi. It's significantly cheaper than Ubiquiti's.

[Michael]

Thanks all, really useful feedback!