Which Cisco WLC Models Can Reuse RTU Licenses?
An engineer is working on a wireless refresh for a customer and identified that the existing WLCs have RTU licenses installed. Which two WLC models can reuse the licenses? (Choose two.)
Community Votes
100% of anonymous learners picked answer AC. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Community Insight
Tests which Cisco WLC platforms use the RTU licensing model versus legacy PAK/evaluation licensing, and the trap is picking the familiar flagship 5508 or the flexible-looking vWLC instead of the two RTU-capable hardware controllers.
Cisco Right-To-Use (RTU) licensing is supported on the 3504 and 5520 wireless LAN controllers (as well as the 8540 and Catalyst 9800), so among the five models listed only those two can reuse an installed RTU entitlement. This page confirms A and C and explains why the 5508, 2504 and vWLC fall outside the RTU licensing model.
Choosing D (5508), the classic large AireOS appliance, on the assumption that an enterprise-grade controller must support RTU; the 5508 and 2504 are licensed with PAK/eDelivery and evaluation licenses, so no RTU entitlement exists to reuse.
Community Discussion (3 comments)
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Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
Cisco's Right-To-Use (RTU) licensing model is a property of the newer AireOS hardware generation, and Cisco's own licensing documentation states that the 3504, 5520 and 8540 controllers support both RTU and Smart Licensing. Within this option list, the 5520 (A) and the 3504 (C) are exactly those two RTU-capable platforms, which is why they are the models where the customer's existing RTU entitlement can be reused when the wireless refresh replaces the old controllers. RTU removes the ordering/PAK step: the capacity lives with the controller, so reusing the licence means deploying onto a platform that speaks the same licensing model. The unanimous community vote of AC and the cited Cisco licensing article both point the same way.Why the Other Options Are Wrong
D (5508) and E (2504) belong to the earlier AireOS appliance family that is provisioned with PAK, eDelivery and evaluation licenses rather than RTU; there is no RTU entitlement on those platforms to carry forward, so they cannot be the answer no matter how common they are in legacy deployments. B (vWLC) is a virtual appliance: its access-point capacity is licensed for the virtual instance itself (evaluation, then a purchased virtual-controller license keyed to that deployment) rather than inheriting the physical controller's RTU entitlement, so it is not one of the two platforms this question is after. Only A and C satisfy the "reuse the licenses" condition among the choices given.Community Comment Notes
Jonycici pointed straight at Cisco's licensing article for the 3504, noting it states the "3504, 5520 and 8540 Wireless LAN Controllers supports two (2) types of licenses: RTU (Right-To-Use) License Smart-License", which is the cleanest confirmation of A and C. 55f2ace added the useful nuance that "RTU licenses are available for the 8.5 release and later." and that the 8540 and Catalyst 9800 are also in the RTU family, which helps explain why 8540 is missing from the option list. AlmightKas reproduced an older 8.2 configuration-guide grouping that also names the Flex 7510, 8510 and vWLC under RTU, which is exactly the kind of list that makes learners hesitate on B; the two physical controllers among these options remain the 5520 and 3504.Official Reference
Exam Strategy
Memorize the licensing split: the 2504 and 5508 use PAK/eDelivery and evaluation licenses, while the 3504, 5520 and 8540 (and later the Catalyst 9800) use RTU and Smart Licensing. When a question asks which controllers can reuse an installed RTU entitlement, eliminate the legacy 25xx/55xx options first and pick the current hardware platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't the 5508 or 2504 reuse the customer's RTU licenses?
They are older AireOS appliances licensed with PAK, eDelivery and evaluation licenses; the RTU model is not supported on them, so there is no RTU entitlement to carry over.
Does the virtual wireless controller (vWLC) reuse a hardware RTU license?
No. vWLC capacity is licensed for the virtual instance itself (evaluation, then a purchased virtual-controller license), separate from the RTU entitlement on the physical 3504/5520.