Wondering if most of you using the Unifi controller have implemented this in the cloud or set it up locally for each job. Thanks.

I set up an AWS instance for our company to use. I like having everything in one place, and I feel like we get better notifications when things do go down. If your internet connection drops, how is a local instance supposed to send out an email?

install a cloudkey on every job.

We have a server in our shop that runs all our systems in the field.

Cloux key on all new networks, switching all others that are on AWS to cloud key. We lost all our AWS clients when we had to upgrade our AWS system

Just out of curiosity, how did that happen? Should have been able to spin up a new instance, install the controller, do a backup of the old controller and restore it into the new one, then reassign the elastic ip to point to the new instance instead of the old one. All of the existing clients should have transferred right over. I have done this before, and it worked fine.

I actually keep 2 AWS instances running and backup the "live" one and restore it to the "backup" regularly, and if I need to perform maintenance on one or something happens, I just switch which one the elastic IP is pointing to.

Cloud key is the way to go

Just installed two unifi access points for the first time today in a home. Haven't had training yet but was able to get them going. Have a few newbie questions, forgive my ignorance as I try to wrap my head around this.

1) What exactly is the Cloud Key and why do I need it? I just ordered one today.

2) Are the access points always and automatically assigned the same SSID. Are they providing seamless roaming?

1. The Cloud Key is a tiny linux computer that runs the controller software locally on the network. You don't have to have it, but can make configuration changes easier than running the controller software on your computer which is probably not going to always be onsite. Also, you can set it up for remote access with your unifi.ubnt.com login credentials, and can have multiple cloud keys linked to that account for remote configuration/troubleshooting purposes.

2. If you created the SSID under the "Default" wlan group, the all access points adopted under that site will default to that SSID (or SSID's, depending on configuration). If you need different SSID's on different ap's in the same site, you can configure multiple WLAN groups, and then when you double click on the ap in the devices list, under configuration you can click "WLAN" and change which WLAN group the AP is associated with. Seamless roaming takes a little tweaking to make it work perfectly. Properly configuring TX power and sometimes minimum RSSI can make the hand off a little smoother. Unfortunately, when it comes to roaming, the client makes the decision, and some make stupid decisions (coughIOScough). The ap's can only make suggestions.

I personally prefer to run the controller software on an external server, because then I can set up multiple sites on one controller instance, and only have to manage backups/upgrades on one controller, not for every single site we have Unifi gear installed.

This.

Really good info.
Question about this last statement:
Do you do this on real jobs or mostly commercial with multiple physical locations?
I'm trying to understand the benefit of doing this on individual resistance sites where SSIDs, passwords, etc are all different.

How did you setup the 2 APs?
Did you treat them separately using a browser or did you install the UniFi software on your PC?
I've been using the UniFi software for several years and had numerous weird Java issues preventing software from running.

With CloudKey, no issues at all -- none.
CloudKey FTW!

We are a completely residential company (except for some occasional very light commercial). Each site is an individual customer. Network configurations do not carry between sites in the controller software, so SSID's and passwords are configured on a site by site basis. The benefit of doing it this way is I can log in to one controller instance and click in the top right corner where it says "Current Site" and go directly to whichever customer's configuration I need to access.

Another benefit of doing things with an AWS instance is I can set up multiple "Super Admin" accounts who have access to all of the sites on the controller, so for example, in our company there are 3 of us who have access to the unifi controller, I just happen to be the one that set it up and manages it because I have the most networking/IT background. If someone quits or is fired, we are not using a shared login to be able to access it, so I can deactivate their account and not have to deal with changing user passwords, and adding a user if we hire someone else is just as easy. I can also see who logged in to the controller and made what changes as well. Any user with "Super Admin" privileges has access to any site created immediately, without having to be invited by the person who set it up.

If I were working as a network person for a company with only one location, I would absolutely use a Cloud Key as long as the instance didn't exceed the number of recommended devices on that network. And if that were the case, the company would probably have a local server running to be able to stick the Unifi controller in a VM any way.

I really need to take the time to write down all of the benefits of doing it this way for us, but I can't seem to think of them all at once...

I was happy to see that Unifi seems more professional than Luxul products and better priced. However it doesn't sound like it features roam assist or some kind seamless roaming assistant. Is Luxul a better product, for those who have use both?

I have used both, and absolutely prefer Unifi. Roam Assist on Luxul is the same as Zero Handoff in Unifi. Ubiquity (and others) will tell you never to use it because it causes issues with some devices. Ubiquity is working very hard to get 802.11r,k, and v implemented, which will make roaming much better, as long as device manufacturers implement it. With a properly configured Unifi installation, you will not be able to tell the difference in roaming between Luxul and Unifi.