APs joined WLC despite wrong name in "high availability" settings

[Andrey128]

1) Firmware on WLCs has been upgraded to C9800-40-universalk9_wlc.17.03.07.SPA, then several days ago there was WAN instability on a remote site , afterwards flexconnect access points on such remote site were able to join new WLC despite wrong WLC name (but correct WLC IP) in "high availability" settings. Before such firmware upgrade there was no such problem: access points not joining new WLC with wrong name in their "high availability" settings. Is it a bug or a feature ?!

2) It there any information available, which is usually called "whats new", for each firmware release ?!

[marce1000]

                              >... in "high availability" settings.
  -  Which settings are you referring too (controller or AP related) , post  a screenshot (e.g.) (?)

 M.
  

[Andrey128]

[marce1000]

  - I would expect this to be normal behavior ('IP importance and or more important'), and the controller hostname only to be looked at as 'documentation' ; and or 'even' a previous behavior now being corrected. 

 M.

[Flavio Miranda]

Hi @Andrey128 

   I believe that information on the high availability tab must be right in order to work. But, the AP does not rely only on that information in order to track down new WLC on the network and join. They will look for DHCP option 43, DNS resolution and broadcast. IF one of this methods provide them WLC ip address they will save and try to join.

The only new feature on the 17.3.7 version is this one below.

[Rich R]

Exactly as Flavio said.  The AP will use all and any discovery method to find alternative WLCs including those Flavio mentioned and also via mobility so if you have mobility between those WLCs then the primary would have already informed the AP about the secondary.  It will also "remember" every WLC it has ever joined previously so if it has ever joined that WLC before it would have remembered it and tried it.

Oh and that AP HA screenshot is taken from AireOS not 9800 IOS-XE!