Embodiments are directed to access point deployment in a network including a centralized system and a distributed system. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a memory and a processor executing instructions stored in the memory. The instructions include instructions to receive a message from an access point (AP) requesting a role in a network and, based on reception of the message, to access a deployment policy. The instructions further include instructions to determine whether the deployment policy is defined for the AP and, based on a determination that the deployment policy is defined for the AP, to assign the role to the AP corresponding to the deployment policy and corresponding to at least one of a centralized system or a distributed system of the network.