topic Re: Mobility Express Controller Failover in Wireless

Mobility Express Controller Failover

LucasC88 — Mon, 05 Jul 2021 17:51:22 GMT

I have a handful of 3800 series aironets. I have switched them to ME mode and all works as expected other than failover. The docs state that when an AP running the controller goes down another ME enabled AP should pick up the controller role and the management ip, config, etc should be passed along with it. This does not appear to be the case for me. One of the APs will end up launching the controller role but it will start in provisioning mode rather than with the previous config. I've read through all the docs and can't find any additional info as to why this may occur. Thanks in advanced

Re: Mobility Express Controller Failover

patoberli — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 13:47:37 GMT

Which software version are you running?
Have you configured the secondary AP on the Master? You can (and I think must) define which should be the backup controller.

Re: Mobility Express Controller Failover

LucasC88 — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 14:04:47 GMT

If you are referring to the next preferred master setting I have tried that as well. The doc states that this should not be required and that it is not recommended but regardless this did not help. The issue appears to be due to the actual configuration not syncing between devices. The other APs will pick up the controller role but it initializes as if it is a fresh controller without a config (provisioning mode)

Re: Mobility Express Controller Failover

patoberli — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 14:38:48 GMT

Sounds like you're hitting a bug. Which version are you running?

Re: Mobility Express Controller Failover

LucasC88 — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 14:58:46 GMT

I'm on mobile right now but I believe it is 8.5.151

Re: Mobility Express Controller Failover

patoberli — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 15:08:42 GMT

That would be a good release.

Have you changed the default credentials? I found this bug:

https://bst.cloudapps.cisco.com/bugsearch/bug/CSCvo85185

Re: Mobility Express Controller Failover

LucasC88 — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 15:11:42 GMT

I'll give this a shot when I get back into the office and report back.

Re: Mobility Express Controller Failover

MTOMASSINI — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 17:18:39 GMT

@LucasC88 wrote:
The other APs will pick up the controller role but it initializes as if it is a fresh controller without a config (provisioning mode)

Are the other APs on the same Vlan than your current Master AP ?

You can check if your Surbordinate APs are ME capable AND synced :
- Show version (Your AP should have a ME image and be ME capable)
- sh flash config-sync (make a change on the Master AP and you should see on the surbordinate APs their config synced with the master with a timestamp in the flash)

Re: Mobility Express Controller Failover

LucasC88 — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 17:54:00 GMT

Looks like this fixes the issue. You need to change just the default username from cisco. This setting can be found in the web gui of the controller.

Wireless Settings > Access Points > Global AP Configuration > Credentials(SSH) >Username