Cisco AIR-CT5508-HA (AIR-CT5508-HA-K9) Full Official Product Description
1. Part Number & Naming Definition
Official Full Name
Cisco 5508 Series Wireless Controller for High Availability
Formal SKU:AIR-CT5508-HA-K9, commonly abbreviated as AIR-CT5508-HA
Naming Breakdown
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AIR: Cisco Aironet Unified Wireless product family
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CT: Controller, Wireless LAN Controller (WLC)
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5508: 5500 series enterprise wireless controller hardware platform
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HA: High Availability dedicated standby controller SKU
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K9: Enterprise cryptographic feature licensed firmware package
Important Note: AIR-CT5508-HA-K9 is astandby-only appliance. It cannot operate independently as a primary wireless controller. It must pair with a licensed primary AIR-CT5508-K9 for active/standby HA deployment. No built-in AP access point licenses are included with the HA SKU.
Core Product Positioning
The Cisco AIR-CT5508-HA is a dedicated standby wireless LAN controller built on the Cisco 5508 hardware platform for the Cisco Unified Wireless Network architecture. Designed for mission-critical enterprise Wi-Fi deployments, it delivers stateful high availability when paired with a primary 5508 controller. It synchronizes runtime configurations, CAPWAP AP tunnels, and client session information to support AP SSO (Stateful Switchover), minimizing wireless service outage during primary controller hardware or software failure. Optimized for large campus, healthcare, retail and corporate environments running 802.11n and 802.11ac Cisco lightweight access points.
2. Hardware Compatibility & Supported Software
Supported Access Points
All CAPWAP/LWAPP lightweight Cisco Aironet APs compatible with AireOS 7.x / 8.x releases (1040, 1140, 1260, 3500, 3600, 3700 series and related models). Autonomous IOS APs are not supported.
Supported Firmware Versions
Minimum AireOS Release: 7.3; Fully validated releases: 7.4, 7.6, 8.0, 8.5, 8.8
HA Deployment Modes
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1:1 Active/Standby Hot Standby with AP SSO
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N+1 backup architecture serving multiple primary 5508 controllers
Unsupported Platforms
Cisco Catalyst 9800 wireless architecture, Meraki Wi-Fi, MDS storage hardware, older 2100/2504 wireless controllers
3. Physical & Electrical Technical Specifications
Form Factor
1U rack-mountable chassis, standard 19-inch rack installation
Front Panel Interfaces
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8 × SFP Gigabit Ethernet ports for network uplinks
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1 × RJ45 10/100/1000BASE-T out-of-band management port
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1 × RS232 Console serial port for local CLI administration
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Dual USB 2.0 ports for configuration backup and firmware upload
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Dedicated redundancy port for HA peer synchronization
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LED indicators: System status, Active/Standby, Power, Fault, Port Link/Activity
Power Configuration
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Dual redundant hot-swappable internal AC power supplies
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Universal AC input: 100–240 VAC 50/60 Hz
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Maximum power consumption: 115W
Environmental Operating Parameters
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Operating ambient temperature: 0°C to 40°C (32°F – 104°F)
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Storage temperature: -25°C to 70°C (-13°F – 158°F)
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Relative Humidity: 10% – 95% non-condensing
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Maximum operating altitude: 2000 meters
4. Key Wireless & Networking Feature Set
High Availability Capabilities
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AP Stateful Switchover (AP SSO): Maintain CAPWAP tunnels during controller failover
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Real-time synchronization of WLAN profiles, zoning, mobility, security policies and AP registration tables
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Fast peer heartbeat monitoring over dedicated redundancy link
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Supports non-disruptive ISSU (In-Service Software Upgrade) across HA pair
Unified Wireless Infrastructure
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CAPWAP encrypted lightweight AP tunneling
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CleanAir spectrum intelligence for RF interference detection
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Dynamic RF Resource Management (RRM): automatic channel and transmit power adjustment
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Intra-controller and inter-controller Layer 2 / Layer 3 client mobility
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802.11e WMM QoS for voice, video and data traffic prioritization
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Rogue AP detection, classification and containment
Enterprise Wireless Security Suite
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WPA2-Enterprise, WPA2-PSK AES encryption
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802.1X authentication: PEAP, EAP-TLS, EAP-FAST, LEAP
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External AAA integration with RADIUS / TACACS+
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Local web authentication for guest wireless access
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MAC filtering, AP authorization policies, identity-based network access
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DTLS encryption for CAPWAP control and data tunnels
Networking & Management Functions
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802.1Q VLAN trunking, multiple dynamic interface support
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DHCP relay, multicast optimization for wireless broadcast traffic
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Secure management: SSHv2, HTTPS, SNMPv3, Syslog
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Centralized management via Cisco WCS / WLC Prime / DNA Center
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Built-in diagnostic utilities, real-time client statistics and logging
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Call Home automated fault alerting
5. Typical Enterprise Deployment Use Cases
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Mission-Critical Wireless Redundancy: Deploy as standby controller paired with primary AIR-CT5508 for campus Wi-Fi high availability
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N+1 Centralized Backup Controller: Single HA appliance serving as disaster recovery backup for multiple primary 5508 controllers
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Healthcare & Retail Networks: Avoid disruption of voice-over-Wi-Fi and POS wireless terminals during controller failure
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Large Corporate Office Consolidated Wireless Architecture: Ensure continuous employee and guest Wi-Fi connectivity
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**Data Center Wireless Infrastructure Resilience for virtualized server environments
6. Regulatory & Compliance Certifications
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Safety Standards: UL 60950-1, CSA C22.2 No.60950-1, IEC/EN 60950-1
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EMC & EMI: CE Mark, FCC Part 15 Class A, ICES-003 Class A, VCCI Class A, EN 61000 series
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Environmental: EU RoHS 2.0 compliant, EU WEEE compliant
7. Standard Factory Package Contents
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Cisco AIR-CT5508-HA-K9 5508 High Availability Wireless Controller
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Dual AC power cords
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Rack mount installation brackets and screws
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RS232 console cable
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Hardware quick start installation guide
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Regulatory safety documentation packet
End-of-Life Status Note
The Cisco 5508 Wireless Controller series including AIR-CT5508-HA-K9 has reached Cisco End-of-Sale (EoS) and End-of-Support (EOL). Official Cisco firmware updates and TAC engineering support have been discontinued. Recommended modern migration platform: Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers.
UNSPSC Classification Code
43222612 – Cisco AIR-CT5508-HA-K9 dedicated high availability standby wireless LAN controller, 1U rack-mount with eight SFP Gigabit ports, supporting AP stateful switchover, designed to pair with licensed primary AIR-CT5508 controller for resilient enterprise CAPWAP Wi-Fi deployments.
Standard Hardware Warranty
New original hardware carries a 1-year limited factory hardware warranty covering manufacturing defects. Refurbished units follow supplier warranty terms. Cisco Smart Net Total Care service is required for official technical support and spare replacement.
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