What Are the Limitations People Encounter with Unifi Systems in Large Companies?

In my experience, a lot of startups start by replacing the firewalls first, then switches, and finally access points. The firewalls are somewhat unstable and often require reboots for issues that shouldn't need them. For core setups, I'd recommend looking elsewhere rather than relying only on Unifi switches; they handle access well but fall short on redundancy and stacking capabilities.

I run multiple sites under one controller, and I find the lack of tunneling for WiFi traffic to be a significant limitation. Additionally, using non-Unifi core switches can complicate management and visibility in the Unifi portal.

The main problem I've run into isn't really about scaling; it's more about functionality. Unifi is designed for straightforward layer 2 networks, with limited routing features, which becomes problematic if you want to implement advanced routing protocols. If you're sticking to simpler needs, it works fine, but complexity can quickly lead you to reconsider.

I've seen Unifi successfully managed in conference centers hosting over 20,000 people, handling heavy loads without significant issues. However, like with many solutions, the success largely depends on the specific implementation. You can achieve scale, but ultimately, it's all about the details and requirements of the situation.

I've managed networks with about 40-60 switches and 60-100 APs at a few sites. It works, but the lack of switch stacking has been a bottleneck. In my opinion, if you were running this in a 24/7 environment, things might get tricky. Luckily, most of my sites have less intensive demands.