CISCO WLC 5508 Back-up Port Configuration

[john]

Hi All,

i need advise as i plan to connect port1 and port 2 of WLC 5508. Port 1 will be 192.168.20.23 and Port 2 (backup-port of port1) will be 192.168.20.26.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/8-0/configuration-guide/b_cg80/b_cg80_chapter_01100.html

can you advise best practice on this?

regards

[Rasika Nayanajith]

Here is then command syntax using 2504 ( I do not have a 5508 to test this), See wether something similar option available for your 5508

(2504) >config interface port ?
management Configures the management interface.
<interface-name> Enter interface name.
(2504) >config interface port management ?
<primary port> [<1-x>] Enter the physical port number.
(2504) >config interface port management 1 ?
[<backup port>] [<1-x>] Enter the physical port number.
(2504) >config interface port management 1 2

HTH

Rasika

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[john]

Hi Rasika,

so that means the ports 1 and 2, can be connected to two different switches without encountering any L2 loops. should i configure the port 2 with and IP address on a another subnet and patch to a port tagged on another vlan or they should be inside same vlan/same subnet?

regards

[pieterh]

Yes there is no L2 loop, because the WLC will not forward packets from one interface to another interface on the same vlan. (it is no switch).

an etherchannel or LAG group can only be used within the same switch or different switches within a Cisco Stack.

In both cases This interface uses only a single IP address. (see my previous post)

When connected to two independant switches you do not have primary/backup configuration !

You can configure both interfaces to be used for different VLAN's with differens subnets

- as AP manager interface for AccessPoints,

- as dynamic interface to connect WLAN's to the LAN

but then again these are independant interfaces, no primary/backup.

[john]

Hi pieterh ,

thank you for your response, currently i have port 1 as is (which is the default management interface and ap manager) configure back-up port is port 2 and  i will plug to CoreSW1.

The port 2 i plan to connect to CoreSW2 ( i plan to configure with static ip same subnet as port1) enable dynamic AP Manager.

but then again of course the WLC is just allow to use 1 management interface but can use multiple dynamic ap managers

kindly advise

regards,

[john]

Can help answer the thread below.

https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/11600391/backup-port-wlc-5508-mgmt-interface#comment-11668256

this is the exact obstacle we are facing.

[Scott Fella]

When you use primary and backup port, you only define on ip per interface. So for example, management interface you define the IP address and then specify which port is primary and which is backup.  You don't use LAG in this design and you also can do this with dynamic interfaces.  This was a good design on the 2504 when lag was not a feature. 

-Scott

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[john]

Hi Scott,

so on port1  - static ip.

on the port2 - no need for ip but tick the dynamic ap management?

[Sandeep Choudhary]

Hi John,

As Scott mentioned, you only use IP on interface level not on port...

so go to Controller > Interfaces > management and update the info under Physical Information:

Active port: 1

Backup Port: 2

Thats all..

Regards

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[john]

thank you guys for all the helpful answers

[Scott Fella]

Hopefully that makes sense and let use know if that worked or not. 

-Scott

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[Scott Fella]

That is correct.  Dynamic AP Management is done on the interface level like setting the ip address.  Primary and backup port is a subset of the interface. 

-Scott

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[pieterh]

Hi there,

Primary and backup port refer to two ports in a LAG group (like etherchannel).; This interface uses only a single IP address.

The LAG configuration must also be enabled on the switch .

such a LAG group can present multiple vlans to the switch like a vlan-trunk switchport

When configuring a (vlan) interface you designate a vlan id and one physical interface as primary and another as backup interface. so effectively each vlan is delivered to the switch using a single physical interface (no load balancing like etherchannel).