Quastions about WLC priority

[IFedotovsky]

Hello, i've got two quastions about WLC's:

1)How or where i could read about access point join WLC controller in multicontroller network?

2)Is it possible and if yes how i could made such scenario: I've got existing netwirk with two wlc 4402, i want to join third wlc 5508 and new access points, but i need that new access point joins to wlc 5508 first,and if all licenses used,jins to wlc 4402 second. Or where i could read about it?

[Amjad Abdullah]

Hello Igor,

you can find your answer here:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6366/products_tech_note09186a00808f8599.shtml

The AP first tries to find all possible controllers through all methods it can. Then after getting a list of WLCs it can join it joins a WLC on this order (quoting from above link):

Look at the controller list and send a join request to a controller in this order (only if the AP received a discovery reply from it):

Primary Controller system name (previously configured on LAP)
Secondary Controller system name (previously configured on LAP)
Tertiary Controller system name (previously configured on LAP)
Master controller (if the LAP has not been previously configured with any Primary, Secondary, or Tertiary controller names. Used to always know which controller brand new LAPs join)
If none of the above are seen, load balance across controllers using the excess capacity value in the discovery response.If two controllers have the same excess capacity, then send the join request to the first controller that responded to the discovery request with a discovery response. If a single controller has multiple AP-managers on multiple interfaces, choose the AP-manager interface with the least number of APs.The controller will respond to all discovery requests without checking certificates or AP credentials. However, join requests must have a valid certificate in order to get a join response from the controller. If the LAP does not receive a join response from its choice, the LAP will try the next controller in the list unless the controller is a configured controller (Primary/Secondary/Tertiary).

HTH

Amjad

[Saravanan Lakshmanan]

#On 5500, enable Master Controller mode, this way new APs will join this controller, Once the 5500 reaches its AP limit, APs will try to join least AP loaded WLC(s) based on WLC IP learnt through L2/L3 mechanism. Then configure HA on APs using WCS/NCS.

#Primary backup & Secondary backup WLCs will be tried followed by Tertiary controller.

#44XX backing 5500 may ok for now but won't be scalable down the line due to new feature, code & AP support.