Which AP deployment term describes APs whose traffic is managed by a Wireless LAN Controller located in a switch stack?

Which AP deployment term describes APs whose traffic is managed by a Wireless LAN Controller located in a switch stack?

• A. Lightweight AP deployment
• B. Autonomous AP deployment
• C. Embedded AP deployment
• D. Cloud-based AP deployment

Answer: (C)

This question tests how wireless networks can centralize management. When the Wireless LAN Controller is built into the switch stack, the APs connect to and are managed by that on‑board controller. This setup is called embedded AP deployment: the switch provides the WLC functionality, so AP traffic and wireless policies are coordinated right there, using the switch’s fabric and uplinks. It leverages existing switching hardware to handle both switching and wireless management without needing a separate, external WLC appliance or a cloud controller. This differs from a lightweight deployment where the APs rely on a separate WLC (which could be on a dedicated appliance or elsewhere in the network), from an autonomous deployment where APs operate independently with no centralized controller, and from a cloud-based deployment where the controller resides in the cloud rather than on the on‑premises switch.

This question tests how wireless networks can centralize management. When the Wireless LAN Controller is built into the switch stack, the APs connect to and are managed by that on‑board controller. This setup is called embedded AP deployment: the switch provides the WLC functionality, so AP traffic and wireless policies are coordinated right there, using the switch’s fabric and uplinks. It leverages existing switching hardware to handle both switching and wireless management without needing a separate, external WLC appliance or a cloud controller.

This differs from a lightweight deployment where the APs rely on a separate WLC (which could be on a dedicated appliance or elsewhere in the network), from an autonomous deployment where APs operate independently with no centralized controller, and from a cloud-based deployment where the controller resides in the cloud rather than on the on‑premises switch.