Hi Prashanth,
Good question!
Traditional WLAN solutions using Autonomous AP's distribute all traffic handling, RF control, security, and mobility functions to the access point itself. However, this architecture limits visibility of 802.11 traffic to an individual access point only. This means:
• Individual access points, when used without a management device, must be managed individually, which can increase operations costs and staffing requirements
• Networkwide attacks and interference are not visible across a system
- Single point of enforcement for security policies across Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3
- Unable to detect and mitigate denial of service (DoS) attacks across an entire WLAN
• A system cannot correlate or predict activity across an enterprise
- Limits the ability to enable optimized, real-time load balancing
- Clients cannot perform fast handoffs, which are required to support real-time applications such as voice and video
• There is an inherent security risk if an access point is stolen or compromised
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/wireless/ps5678/ps6306/prod_white_paper0900aecd802c18ee_ns337_Networking_Solutions_White_Paper.html
You can use the Autonomous to Lightweight Mode upgrade tool to install Cisco IOS Release 12.3(11)JX on these access points:
All 1100 series access points containing MP21G (802.11g) radios
All 1130, 1230, and 1240 series access points
All modular 1200 series access points running Cisco IOS software and containing these supported radios:
802.11g: MP21G, MP31G
802.11a: AIR-RM21A-x-K9, AIR-RM22A-x-K9
All 1300 series access points in access point mode
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/access_point/ios/release/notes/b311jx1.html
Cisco has released a free tool called the "Autonomous to Lightweight Mode Upgrade Tool" that allows selected Cisco Aironet autonomous access point models to be configured for lightweight mode operation.
The Autonomous to Lightweight Mode Upgrade Tool supports the following models:
Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series access points
Cisco Aironet 1230AG Series access points
Cisco Aironet 1200 Series access points that contain 802.11g (AIR-MP21G-x-K9) and/or second-generation 802.11a radios (AIR-RM21A-x-K9 or AIR-RM22A-x-K9)
Cisco Aironet 1130AG Series access points
**Cisco Aironet 1100 Series Access Points that contain 802.11g radios (AIR-AP1121G-x-K9)
Cisco Aironet 1300 Series Access Points/Bridges (AIR-BR1310G-x-K9 or AIR-BR1310G-x-K9-R). A Cisco Aironet 1300 Series operating in Lightweight Access Point Protocol (LWAPP) mode only operates as an access point. This series does not support LWAPP bridging mode.
The Autonomous to Lightweight Mode Upgrade Tool supports a process to migrate an autonomous access point from autonomous mode to lightweight mode. Unlike a VxWorks to Cisco IOS Software upgrade, this process is a Cisco IOS Software upgrade to the existing Cisco IOS Software image-not an operating system "swapout". In converted access points operating in lightweight mode, Cisco IOS Software continues to run on the access point, while LWAPP is used to communicate with a wireless LAN controller. Since LWAPP supports automatic access point configuration, there is no need to retain or convert the original autonomous Cisco IOS Software access point configuration.
Hope this helps!
Rob
