A controller (108, 208, 308) comprising: a memory; a processor executing instructions (454, 455, 456, 457) stored in the memory to: receive a message from an access point, AP, (118, 218, 318) requesting a role in a network and including at least one property of the AP; based on receiving the message, access a deployment policy; characterized in that the processor is further to execute instructions (454, 455, 456, 457) stored in the memory to: determine whether the deployment policy is defined for the AP (118, 218, 318), wherein the deployment policy defines a policy for assigning APs to a centralized system or to a distributed system of the network; and based on determining that the deployment policy is defined for the AP (118, 218, 318), assign the role corresponding to the deployment policy to the AP (118, 218, 318); the role corresponding to at least one of the centralized system or the distributed system based on a value of a property of the AP (118, 218, 318); wherein: if the property value is in a first range of property values, the AP (118, 218, 318) is assigned a role in the centralized system; and if the property value is in a second range of property values and not in the first range of property values, the AP (118, 218, 318) is assigned a role in the distributed system and the role comprises one of a main base station, a relay base station and a remote base station. a memory; a processor executing instructions (454, 455, 456, 457) stored in the memory to: receive a message from an access point, AP, (118, 218, 318) requesting a role in a network and including at least one property of the AP; based on receiving the message, access a deployment policy; characterized in that the processor is further to execute instructions (454, 455, 456, 457) stored in the memory to: determine whether the deployment policy is defined for the AP (118, 218, 318), wherein the deployment policy defines a policy for assigning APs to a centralized system or to a distributed system of the network; and based on determining that the deployment policy is defined for the AP (118, 218, 318), assign the role corresponding to the deployment policy to the AP (118, 218, 318); the role corresponding to at least one of the centralized system or the distributed system based on a value of a property of the AP (118, 218, 318); wherein: if the property value is in a first range of property values, the AP (118, 218, 318) is assigned a role in the centralized system; and if the property value is in a second range of property values and not in the first range of property values, the AP (118, 218, 318) is assigned a role in the distributed system and the role comprises one of a main base station, a relay base station and a remote base station. receive a message from an access point, AP, (118, 218, 318) requesting a role in a network and including at least one property of the AP; based on receiving the message, access a deployment policy; determine whether the deployment policy is defined for the AP (118, 218, 318), wherein the deployment policy defines a policy for assigning APs to a centralized system or to a distributed system of the network; and based on determining that the deployment policy is defined for the AP (118, 218, 318), assign the role corresponding to the deployment policy to the AP (118, 218, 318); the role corresponding to at least one of the centralized system or the distributed system based on a value of a property of the AP (118, 218, 318); wherein: if the property value is in a first range of property values, the AP (118, 218, 318) is assigned a role in the centralized system; and if the property value is in a second range of property values and not in the first range of property values, the AP (118, 218, 318) is assigned a role in the distributed system and the role comprises one of a main base station, a relay base station and a remote base station. if the property value is in a first range of property values, the AP (118, 218, 318) is assigned a role in the centralized system; and if the property value is in a second range of property values and not in the first range of property values, the AP (118, 218, 318) is assigned a role in the distributed system and the role comprises one of a main base station, a relay base station and a remote base station.