how to replecate all configuration to secondary wlc automatically

[Breeze Kuriakose]

Hi I have WLC 5508 with 6.0 software  and kept in main office and 10 sites are connected . I created Group and hreap for the sites AP.

Now customer wants the secondary WLC to keep on one another site. And the customer is asking all the configuration like ap group and all should come to secondary wlc automatically . In future also if he create any new group in primary it should come in secondary wlc.

And if primary goes down the secondary should controll all the sites and when comes up primary should taken care.Active standbye mode.

Can anybofdy help me out how to do this configuration. And i have differnet network where am going to keep the secondary wlc.               

[Amjad Abdullah]

Hi Breez,

What you are asking is not available in version 6.0.

It is available only in version 7.3; the latest.

https://supportforums.cisco.com/docs/DOC-26827

With your current version, the only way is to take a backup config from the primary WLC and restore it to the backup WLC while it is offline and then change the IP addresses. After that whenever there is a config change on the primary it should be manually done on the secondary as well.

HTH

Amjad

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[Scott Fella]

Just to add my 2¢... LIke Amjad mentioned "the only way is to take a backup config from the primary WLC and restore it to the backup WLC while it is offline and then change the IP addresses. After that whenever there is a config change on the primary it should be manually done on the secondary as well"

Upgrading to 7.3 to use the HA feature which is active/standby (what you mentioned in your port) has some requirements.  The WLC has to be on the same nework and you need to look at the supported AP's, just in case you have some older access points.  Also the minimum license count to convert existing WLC's to HA is 50.  So at least one WLC needs to have 50 or more AP licenses.

Thanks,

Scott

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[Amjad Abdullah]

Thanks Scott. Your 2 cents are really useful.

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[Breeze Kuriakose]

Dear Amjad Thanks a lot.....

Just had a small doubt the as customer wants to keep the second WLC  in one another branch its in another network .

So if in that senario of i upgrade to 7.3 both WLC  the all configuration will Replecate atumoatically when ever there is a configuration like creating GROUP .or somethink.

Or its really nessesary that both the WLC should be in same location and like same subnet.

[Amjad Abdullah]

Hi Breeze,

With version 7.3 both of your WLCs (Primary and secondary) must be on same subnet for high availability to work. Otherwise your config can not be replicated from one WLC to another.
If your WLCs on different subnets then your only way is to configure the primary and manually configure the secondary with same configuration.

HTH

Amjada

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[Scott Fella]

Thanks Amjad...

I was just thinking that maybe you gave Breeze and idea and then he will be in trouble during this install.

Thanks,

Scott

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[Breeze Kuriakose]

Dear Scott Thanks a lot.....

Just had a small doubt the as customer wants to keep the second WLC  in one another branch its in another network .

So if in that senario of i upgrade to 7.3 both WLC  the all configuration will Replecate atumoatically when ever there is a configuration like creating GROUP .or somethink.

Or its really nessesary that both the WLC should be in same location and like same subnet.

[Scott Fella]

Needs to be on the same subnet (does not need to be a direct connection via a patch cable, but will work in the same layer 2 subnet.... The link Amjad provided has all the information shown below.

https://supportforums.cisco.com/docs/DOC-26827

Note:-

A redundancy VLAN should be a nonroutable VLAN where a Layer 3 interface should not be created for the VLAN and the interface can be allowed on the trunk port to extend an HA setup between multiple chassis. Redundancy VLAN should be created like any other data VLAN on IOS switches.

Introduction

HA Overview

High availability (HA) in controllers allows you to reduce the downtime of the wireless networks, due to the failure of controllers. In 7.3 it is true High Availability is introduced. Hot standby - That is when one box fails due to hardware issues or network connectivity almost instantaneously take over by the standby box. One WLC will be active state and second WLC will be Hot standby state who monitors the health of the active WLC through a direct wired connection over a dedicated Redundancy port. Configuration on active WLC is synched to standby WLC via redundant port.

Fast Facts on High Availability (HA)

• HA Pairing is possible only between same type of hardware and software version. Mismatch may result in Maintenance mode. Virtual IP Address should be same on both the WLCs before configuring AP SSO.

• It is recommended to have direct connectivity between Active and Standby Redundant Port for 5500/7500/8500 series of WLCs.

Additional information

• Configuration of the IP address of the redundancy management interface to any of the dynamic interfaces, management interface IP address, management interface gateway IP address, and present peer-redundancy management interface IP addresses is not supported.

• Before you configure HA, ensure that the management interfaces of both controllers are in the same subnet.

Thanks,

Scott

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[Andrew Vlasek]

There is also coming the ability to have an HA pair at a remote site but it isnt out yet. Ask your Cisco rep when the WAN availability will be available.

[Scott Fella]

That's something I haven't heard about yet. I wouldn't think that would work anyways especially if the dynamic interfaces are on different subnets... Clients would need to re-dhcp in order to work. Interesting though but I wonder if they are doing it by allowing management to be on a different subnet on the same site in which the dynamic interfaces are all still on the same subnet.

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[gohussai]

Simple and short answer is change the WLC Firmware to >=7.3 because it support HA.

After that fail your primary WLC and secondary WLC will comes up with the same configuration :)

NOTE: you can also manually import/export the configuration.

[George.Gates1]

I'm having the same issue but with a pair 8510's in HA mode in one location and a second pair of 8540's in another city as our secondary and DR pair.  We need to keep them sycned and connected.  Our currect version is 8.2.151.0.  Please advise on the best practice to connect them.