Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller

Summary/ Overview


Get Your Next-Generation Wireless Network Today Optimized for 802.11ac Wave2 performance, the Cisco 8540 Wireless LAN Controller is a highly scalable, service-rich, resilient, and flexible platform. It provides centralized control, management, and troubleshooting for high-scale deployments in service provide, enterprise, and large campus deployments.

Product Description/ Features/ Specifications


As a component of the Cisco Unified Access Solution, the 8540 provides real-time communications between Cisco Aironet access pointsCisco Prime Infrastructure, and the Cisco Mobility Services Engine. It is also interoperable with other Cisco controllers.
The 8540 comes with integrated services:

  • Application Visibility and Control (AVC) provides granular classification and prioritization of thousands of business-critical apps with dynamic protocol updates
  • Location-aware Bonjour and Chromcast can enable various services to be advertised across a Layer 3 network at a user and device level
  • An embedded policy classification engine offers simplified BYOD with native device profiling and onboard services
  • Software-defined segmentation with Cisco TrustSec reduces access control list maintenance, complexity, and overhead

The 8540 Series offers exceptional scalability:

  • Optimize 802.11ac Wave 2 next-generation networks with 40 Gb throughput
  • Support up to 6000 access points and 64,000 clients
  • Consolidate multiple controllers into one with a single point of touch
  • Support centralized, distributed, and mesh deployments
  • Deploy Cisco FlexConnect in sites with up to 100 access points, in up to 2000 groups

The 8540 offers high-availability features for uninterrupted application availability and no incremental system downtime:

  • Sub-second failover for access point and client failover for uninterrupted application availability
  • Dual-redundant 1 Gigabit or 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity
  • Dual-redundant power supplies installed (AC or DC)
  • Hot-swappable power supply and solid state storage with no incremental system downtime
  • Enhanced system uptime with fast system restarts

Service Provider Wi-Fi


  • Wi-Fi certified Passpoint (Hotspot 2.0) for mobile data offload
  • Network-based mobility management with Proxy Mobile IPv6 Mobility Access Gateway (MAG) support for integration with cellular data networks

Cisco offers a wide array of controllers and access points that can support wireless functions in organizations of all sizes. Our range includes branch offices to small and medium business, to large campus and service provider environments.

Product Support Services


Cisco Services can help you increase operational efficiency, lower support costs, and improve availability risk management.

Specifications at a Glance


Access points Up to 6000
Clients Up to 64,000
VLANs Up to 4096
Deployment modes Centralized, Cisco FlexConnect, and mesh
Form factor 2-rack-unit (2RU)
I/O interface 4 x 1-Gb or 10GB-ports
Power supply Dual-redundant power supplies installed (AC or DC)
Product warranty 3 years
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