Do I need a WLAN Controller?
You could be planning a new WLAN for your office and you may have the above question bugging you. The answer to the question is yes/no/maybe. Multiple aspects decide whether one needs to go for a WLAN controller. Factors like number of users in a single network, bandwidth requirement, interference management needs, VoIP management, Multimedia usage, user roaming requirement, data rate management, size of network, coverage area, etc will determine the need for a WLAN controller.
Access points catering to small/home offices with a coverage area of few hundred square feet will have integrated WLAN controller functionality along with other facilities like switch, modem etc. Only if the coverage area is large and there are hundreds of employees, you may need many access points installed. As the numbers (Access points or users or bandwidth requirement or roaming needs etc) grows, multiple technical factors become complex and the same has to be managed or controlled through a dedicated WLAN controller.
As an analogy, a large office team needs managers / team leaders etc. Also, if there are multiple branches, individual branch managers should be appointed for each branch. Similarly, if you have large offices spread over different geographies, then multiple controllers need to be deployed. All the controllers can be integrated together or a single controller can also be deployed to manage multiple sites.
You could also be concerned about the form factor: whether the wireless controller is a physical device or cloud controlled. Again, each one has their own merits and demerits. Budgets / criticality / security needs / data encryption / data type / expected future network growth etc., decides the form factor. Each OEM vendor will have their own design philosophy to address the industry requirements.
If you are not sure whether you need to go for a controller or not, just consult with any WLAN expert in your area or contact us.