Cisco AIR-CT2504-K9 mgmt controller network?

Question

WiFi

Good afternoon. There is an AIR-CT2504-K9 controller installed in the data center.
IPsec tunnels are organized from the data center to several branches (5 pieces). Each branch has its own IP addressing. We plan to install access points in each AIR-CAP1602E-R-K9 branch, which will distribute WiFI using ISP for uplink locally (i.e. not through IPsec to the data center), IP addressing on access points will be the same as in branches, respectively ..
Actually What is the question: Is it possible to steer these access points with the controller that is installed in the data center? Those. the controller lives in the data center network and sees the access points that live in the networks of the affiliates, respectively, using only management.
Thank you.

Answer 1

it is possible, it is possible. This mode is called FlexConnect. Cisco lightwieght access points usually establish two capwap tunnels to the controller - one to control the point, the second to transfer traffic from point clients to the controller. And in this case, client traffic from the point falls into the network from the controller port - this is the normal mode of operation. In the case of FlexConnect (or sometimes they say local switching), client traffic falls out of the point's local port.
Only not all points support FlexConnect, look for support.
And the second point - two 2504 controllers (for fault tolerance) do not automatically synchronize the config. I made changes on one, went to the second and did the same or a bunch of problems when switching. If this is critical, then you should take a thicker controller)