9800 WLC hostname change

[k.gabelsberger]

I need to change the hostname of a 9800-80 HA pair with thousands of APs and clients connected.  Thinking about the primary and secondary wlc names configured on APs for the capwap join process, how do I gracefully change the WLC hostname?  The ip addresses are not changing.  I use dhcp option 43 as a backup.

[David Ritter]

I changed my 9800  from the 'default myWLC with out issue.

CLI in and change the hostname.

all my AP's picked up the new name without issue as they were all linked to the specific IP..

[ammahend]

Updating WLC host name should effect Joined AP operation, for APs I think you might have to Update the AP join profile under capwap>high availability with correct name , I am not sure it will update automatically. 

[tommie]

For a redundant 9800-40 setup with about 1400 accesspoints I am about to embark on this process... In Spaces someone configured the wrong IP and thus it aint spacing ;).

Our controller also has a hostname not consistent with current conventions. Changing the hostname will most likely destroy current AP capwap dtls tunnels I presume. But I cannot see any proof of this. 

In the end, were you able to change this without losing all AP connections to controller?

Cheers, Tommie

[marce1000]

   @tommie  >...Changing the hostname will most likely destroy current AP capwap dtls tunnels I presume.
                            - It won't , 

 M.

[tommie]

Hi Marce1000! Thanks so much for this insight... However, before "doing" it in this mission critical environment. Is there any doc on this? I've been searching for about a whole morning now...  Not at what it would destroy, but more from a practical perspective on changing hostnames on these beasts.

You have given me a bit of confidence though, thanks.

[marce1000]

 @tommie  You won't find any doc on that ; but it has no impact on capwap tunnels because they are based on UDP and 'local low level networking info's ; you may always however review the status of APs  afterwards using :
                     https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/catalyst-9800-series-wireless-controllers/217738-monitor-catalyst-9800-kpis-key-performa.html#anc4

 M.
               

[tommie]

Amazing. Before changing it I figured a quick search won't hurt. And I found this thread were some states it will break capwap... 

Cheers!

[marce1000]

@tommie  Ok , also good practice before or after hostname change is to have the configuration of your 9800 controller reviewed
with the CLI command show tech wireless and feed the output into Wireless Config Analyzer
                                    This is so good

  M.

[tommie]

Will most definitely do!