Copy config from one (Cisco 5508) WLC to another.

[Koldov]

Looking for an absolute beginner's guide to this...

 

We started out with an Infant School linked to us and using our core switch and ISP all contracted through the LEA, but they had their own WLC in our core cab.

 

Fast forward a few years to when the LEA ditched us, the network support contract ran out and the Infant School went with another ISP and a new internal network set-up.

 

Anyway, this leaves us with a redundant Cisco 5508 WLC and I would like to copy the config from ours to that spare one and have it standing by as a redundancy.

 

Is it that simple?

 

If so, what is the easiest method considering my lack of knowledge on the subject....

[RobD]

Yep definitely possible. You could even setup it up as secondary unit so the APs would fail over automatically (HA)?

 

Firstly I'd reset the new one then to copy the config, logon and go to:

Commands > Download File > change type to "Configuration" > Then you'll need a tftp or ftp site to copy it too.

 

Once you have the file you can just do it in reverse for the new one:

 

Commands > Upload File > change type to Configuration and specify the file from ftp or tftp site.

 

Reboot and bobs your uncle.

 

If you want to use it as in HA, let me know and I'll put something together for you.

[Koldov]

Thanks, I guess it is going to be a little more complicated that I thought then!

 

Is any of this possible whilst it is isolated from the LAN (and so not through the web GUI or using an FTP site - maybe a little more 'old school') as I don't even know the IP of the spare WLC?

 

Thing is I'm not sure what's going to happen if I switch it back on, it has been off for a very long time (years) and we've had a whole network reconfigruation since (the whole IP scheme was changed, VLANS changed, switches moved, APs moved)...

[RobD]

You could console on while its not plugged into the network then run: reset system

 

Then you can run though something like this with the config you have from the other controller:

 

https://mrncciew.com/2013/01/25/backup-restore-wlc-configs/