Solved: DNAC in Wireless Deployments

Rami Ibrahim · ‎05-26-2022

Hello experts,

I have a customer who is planning to setup a new pair of WLCs (9800-40) and about 260 APs. Furthermore, 1 xDNAC & 1xISE appliances have been also ordered with Wireless devices.

Now, I'm a bit confused about this and I don't know if he is looking to build an SD-Access fabric and deploy the WLC & AP as fabric-enabled devices or to do a normal wireless deployment with managing all wireless infra centrally from the DNAC.

My question is can I just install the DNAC and make it managing the WLCs & APs without building SDA fabric? can you provide me with any documents of design guides for this type of deployment if it is possible.

Please excuse my ignorance in wireless because I'm a R&S guy.

Thank you

Regards,

Flavio Miranda · ‎05-26-2022

Hi

"My question is can I just install the DNAC and make it managing the WLCs & APs without building SDA fabric? can you provide me with any documents of design guides for this type of deployment if it is possible."

Yes, you can. Basically, you need to discovery the WLC. It will show up on the Plug and `Play page as unclaimed. Then, you can claim it and add it to a site. You can, before discovery, create the network hierarchy and , if you want, add maps as well. Maps is good because you can add the Access Point, just like we do on Cisco Prime infrastructure.

Once the WLC is added to a site, you can see statistics on the Assurance page.

The WLC will be fully managed by DNAC using SNMP and Netconf even though it is not in fabric mode.

If you want to start looking the DNAC web interface to get familiar, you can use sandbox.

https://www.cisco.com/c/m/en_us/products/cloud-systems-management/dna-center/use-case-device-onboarding.html

user:devnetuser

pass: Cisco123!

Here some guide on how to onboard devices and about assurance.

https://www.cisco.com/c/m/en_us/products/cloud-systems-management/dna-center/use-case-device-onboarding.html

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/cloud-systems-management/network-automation-and-management/dna-center-assurance/2-2-2/b_cisco_dna_assurance_2_2_2_ug/b_cisco_dna_assurance_2_2_2_ug_chapter_01001.html

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Flavio Miranda · ‎05-26-2022

Hi

"My question is can I just install the DNAC and make it managing the WLCs & APs without building SDA fabric? can you provide me with any documents of design guides for this type of deployment if it is possible."

Yes, you can. Basically, you need to discovery the WLC. It will show up on the Plug and `Play page as unclaimed. Then, you can claim it and add it to a site. You can, before discovery, create the network hierarchy and , if you want, add maps as well. Maps is good because you can add the Access Point, just like we do on Cisco Prime infrastructure.

Once the WLC is added to a site, you can see statistics on the Assurance page.

The WLC will be fully managed by DNAC using SNMP and Netconf even though it is not in fabric mode.

If you want to start looking the DNAC web interface to get familiar, you can use sandbox.

https://www.cisco.com/c/m/en_us/products/cloud-systems-management/dna-center/use-case-device-onboarding.html

user:devnetuser

pass: Cisco123!

Here some guide on how to onboard devices and about assurance.

https://www.cisco.com/c/m/en_us/products/cloud-systems-management/dna-center/use-case-device-onboarding.html

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/cloud-systems-management/network-automation-and-management/dna-center-assurance/2-2-2/b_cisco_dna_assurance_2_2_2_ug/b_cisco_dna_assurance_2_2_2_ug_chapter_01001.html

Rami Ibrahim · ‎05-26-2022

Thank you very much for the useful answer.

Best regards,

Leo Laohoo · ‎05-26-2022

I strongly recommend the client contact the Cisco AM/SE/PSS team and ask to be enrolled into the DNAC Acceleration program.

The client will get tremendous benefit if they get in. No membership "fee" needed.