Cisco Catalyst C9800-80-K9 Wireless LAN Controller
The Cisco Catalyst C9800-80-K9 is a flagship, service-provider-grade Wireless LAN Controller. Delivering massive 80 Gbps throughput, it flawlessly manages up to 6000 Access Points and 64,000 clients, providing unparalleled scalability and 100G modular uplinks for massive campuses.
Quick Specs:
· Capacity: 6,000 Access Points (APs) / 64,000 Clients
· Throughput: 80 Gbps
· Fixed Ports: 8 x 1G/10G SFP+
· Modular Uplinks: 1 Expansion Slot (Supports optional 100G/40G)
· High Availability: Dual Redundant Power & Modular Fans
· Form Factor: 2RU Rack-mountable
Comprehensive Product Overview
The Cisco Catalyst C9800-80-K9 represents the absolute pinnacle of Cisco’s intent-based wireless networking portfolio. Designed for the most demanding Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Wi-Fi 6E environments on the planet, this flagship Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) runs on the open and programmable Cisco IOS XE operating system, bridging the massive data requirements of wireless endpoints with ultra-high-speed wired core networks. Housed in a robust 2-Rack-Unit (2RU) chassis, the C9800-80 is engineered for service providers, massive global enterprise headquarters, and ultra-high-density public venues. It offers an astonishing 80 Gbps of non-blocking wireless throughput. Furthermore, it is the only controller in the 9800 series to feature a modular uplink slot, allowing network architects to install 100G or 40G uplink modules to completely eliminate data bottlenecks between the wireless edge and the data center spine.
Key Features & Business Benefits
Unrivaled Global Scalability: Built for the largest networks in the world. A single C9800-80 controller can centralize the management of up to 6,000 Access Points and seamlessly support 64,000 concurrent wireless clients without performance degradation.
80 Gbps & 100G Modular Uplinks: Comes standard with eight 10G SFP+ fixed ports. To harness the full 80 Gbps capacity, the chassis includes a modular expansion slot that accepts an optional 100G QSFP28 uplink module, ensuring your wireless traffic routes to the core at wire speed.
Always-On, Zero Downtime (ISSU): Designed for 99.999% availability. It supports In-Service Software Upgrades (ISSU), stateful switchover (SSO) clustering, and hot-patching. You can upgrade the controller’s OS or patch security flaws without ever dropping a single client connection.
Advanced Threat Defense: Protect your massive wireless footprint natively. Features WPA3 encryption, MACsec, Cisco TrustSec for identity-based micro-segmentation, and Encrypted Traffic Analytics (ETA) to identify malware hidden in encrypted Wi-Fi data streams.
Cisco DNA & SD-Access Ready: Acts as the ultimate wireless control plane in a Cisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access) fabric. Provision, manage, and monitor thousands of APs globally from a centralized Cisco DNA Center dashboard.
Technical Specifications
Specification
Details for C9800-80-K9
Product Series
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series
Maximum Access Points (APs)
6,000
Maximum Wireless Clients
64,000
Wireless Throughput
80 Gbps
Fixed Network Interfaces
8 x 1/10-Gbps SFP+ (Fiber Optics)
Expansion Slot (Uplink)
1 modular slot (Supports optional 100G or additional 10G module)
Operating System
Cisco IOS XE Software
Maximum WLANs
4096
VLANs Supported
4096
Power Supplies
Dual redundant hot-swappable AC or DC
Cooling
3 hot-swappable redundant fan trays
Dimensions (H x W x D)
3.5 x 17.3 x 21.4 in. (8.89 x 43.94 x 54.36 cm) - 2RU
Ideal Application Scenarios
Service Providers & Managed Services: The unparalleled capacity allows Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to host and control Wi-Fi networks for multiple enterprise tenants across vast geographic regions from a single centralized controller.
Ultra-High-Density Venues: The ultimate solution for international airports, massive sports stadiums, and convention centers where tens of thousands of users connect simultaneously, demanding massive 80 Gbps throughput.
Global Enterprise Headquarters: Unify the wireless infrastructure of a sprawling corporate tech campus. Support thousands of IoT sensors, Wi-Fi 6 access points, and BYOD devices securely via Cisco DNA Center.
Supported Accessories, Optics & Licensing
Maximize the capacity of your C9800-80-K9 by utilizing genuine Cisco expansion modules and optics: C9800-100G=: Optional uplink module providing 100G / 40G QSFP28 connectivity (Highly recommended to achieve 80Gbps routing). SFP-10G-SR / QSFP-100G-SR4-S: 10G and 100G optical transceivers for uplink connections to your Catalyst or Nexus core switches. PWR-C1-715WAC=: 715W AC Power Supply (Order two for N+1 redundancy). Cisco DNA Software Subscriptions: Hardware licensing is not required. You simply purchase a Cisco DNA Essentials or DNA Advantage subscription (3, 5, or 7 years) per attached Access Point.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: What is the primary difference between the C9800-40 and the C9800-80?
A1: The C9800-80 is vastly more powerful. While the 9800-40 (1RU) supports 2,000 APs and 40 Gbps throughput, the C9800-80 (2RU) triples the AP capacity to 6,000 APs, doubles throughput to 80 Gbps, and adds a modular expansion slot for 100G uplinks
Q2: Does the C9800-80-K9 come with 100G ports out of the box?
A2: No. Out of the box, the base chassis features 8 fixed 10G SFP+ ports. To utilize 100G or 40G uplinks, you must purchase and install the optional C9800-100G= uplink module into the expansion slot.
Q3: Can I upgrade the software without dropping wireless clients?
A3: Yes. The C9800-80 supports In-Service Software Upgrades (ISSU). When deployed in a High Availability (HA) cluster, you can upgrade the OS on the active controller, switch over to the standby, and upgrade the standby—all without interrupting client traffic or forcing APs to reboot.
Q4: Do I need a Right-to-Use (RTU) license on the hardware for the 6,000 APs?
A4: No. Cisco has moved away from hardware-tied RTU licenses. The C9800-80 relies on Cisco Smart Licensing. You only need to purchase the appropriate Cisco DNA term license for the exact number of APs you are actually managing.
Q5: Are the power supplies and fan trays field-replaceable?
A5: Yes. The 2RU chassis features dual redundant power supply bays and three modular fan trays. All of these components are hot-swappable, ensuring zero network downtime during hardware maintenance.
