Cisco WLC 5760

[PutmanoAIT]

Hi All,

I have Cisco WLC 5760 at my company. I see some document that CISCO WLC 5760 not support FlexConnect. What i want is AP still function when Controller down. Any feature that WLC can do that?

Thanks in advances. 

[George Stefanick]

It would require having 2 WLCs. 

[PutmanoAIT]

Thanks for your answer.

[mohanak]

5760 Access Point Stateful Switch Over (AP SSO) Overview

IOS XE 3.3 SE release for Cisco 5700 Series Wireless Controller introduces 1:1 Active-Standby redundancy model for HA with the CT5760 controllers using the StackWise-480 technology. HA in Cisco 5700 Series Wireless Controller is enabled using Cisco StackWise-480 technology. StackWise-480 identifies active and standby members in the stack as per the Cisco IOS Software SSO technology. All the control plane activities are centralized and synchronized between the active and standby units. The Active Controller centrally manages all the control and management communication. The network control data traffic is transparently switched from the standby unit to the active unit for centralized processing. The 12 ports of the CT5760 HA redundant pair can be connected to the infrastructure network either through a single switch or two switches.

Bulk and Incremental configuration is synced between the two controllers at run-time and both controllers share the same IP address on the management interface. The CAPWAP state of the Access Points that are in Run State is also synched from the active WLC to the Hot-Standby WLC allowing the Access Points to be state-fully switched over when the Active WLC fails. The APs do not go to the Discovery state when Active WLC fails, and Standby WLC takes over as the Active WLC to serve the network.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/technotes/5700/software/release/ios_xe_33/5760_HA_DG_iosXE33.html#pgfId-43188

[PutmanoAIT]

As your answer mean we need to do HA, right? If yes it isn't solution that i want, because i have only one WLC. Thanks for your answer.

[sobhardw]

Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers smoothly integrate into existing enterprise networks. They communicate with Controller-based Access Points over any Layer 2 (Ethernet) or Layer 3 (IP) infrastructure using the Lightweight Access Point Protocol (LWAPP). These devices support automation of numerous WLAN configuration and management functions across all enterprise locations.

Depending on your deployment model, if they are dedicated lightweight APs(ie, not configured under HREAP) then when the controller reboots, the AP goes "down". Remember, the LWAPs form LWAPP-encapsulated tunnels back to the controllers and they pipe all of the traffic over those tunnels, allowing the controller to place the traffic onto the wired LAN correctly.

Below is the link for H-REAP Modes of Operation Configuration Example

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless-mobility/wireless-lan-wlan/81680-hreap-modes.html

[PutmanoAIT]

Yes I saw H-REAP can do that but WLC 5760 not support H-REAP,  right? Or new version can do that? Thanks for your answer.

[Rasika Nayanajith]

Yes, 5760 does not support FlexConnect mode AP.

Does this 5760 acting as centralized controller  (ie all your AP traffic tunnel back to that) ? If so you have to have another 5760 (active/standby) if you want HA.

If you deploy a 5760 as part of converged access deployment, then 5760 act as MC & failure of MC would not impact MA (3850/3650 access layer switch) connected AP & wireless service. In this deployment model anyway traffic is terminating at local switch (similar to FlexConnect local switching)

Note that 5760 product is came part of Converged Access & it is ideal for that environment (3650/3850 acting as MA). If your requirement is around Centralized deployment, still you have AP deployments in branch sites where FlexConnect mode AP required, then 5508/8510 (or next HW version of these products) will most suit your needs.

HTH

Rasika

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[PutmanoAIT]

Thanks for your answer. But i don't have Cisco 3650/3850 Switch, I connect AP to only Cisco L2 Switch. Any solution?

[Rasika Nayanajith]

In that case, you do not have a way to get AP work in standalone mode.

HTH

Rasika

[PutmanoAIT]

As i know the older model can do that like 5508,2504..  I don't understand why newer model don't have this feature.

Thanks for your answer.

[Rasika Nayanajith]

There are 4 distinct deployment models in Cisco Unified wireless & target for different use cases.

1. Autonomous (no WLC required)

2. Centralized (5508,WiSM2,8510,2504)

3. FlexConnect (7500,5508,2504)

4. Converged Access (5760/3850/3650/4500-Sup8E)

Converged Access is for local mode AP deployment where you can terminate your CAPWAP traffic at access layer (if you want wired & wireless traffic to treat in same way). This model does not support H-REAP/FlexConnect mode.

HTH

Rasika

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