Specifications

Altitude 35x0 Access Point Product Reference Guide 287
Managing an AP’s Controller Failure
In the event of a controller failure, an AP's independent WLAN continues to operate without
disruption. The AP attempts to connect to other controllers (if available) in background. Extended
WLANs are disabled once controller adoption is lost. When a new controller is discovered and a
connection is secured, an extended WLAN is resumed automatically.
If a new controller is located, the AP synchronizes its configuration with the located controller once
adopted. If Remote Site Survivability (RSS) is disabled, the independent WLAN is also disabled in the
event of a controller failure.
Remote Site Survivability (RSS)
RSS can be used to turn off RF activity on an AP if it loses adoption (connection) to the controller.
Mesh Support
An AP can extend existing mesh functionality to a controller managed network. Mesh topology is
configured partly through the wireless controller (defining the role of each mesh node) and partly at the
mesh AP (defining the connection weight of each backhaul link). APs without a wired connection form
a mesh backhaul to a repeater or a wired mesh node and then get adopted to the controller. Mesh nodes
with existing wired access get adopted to the controller like a wired AP.
Setting a mesh takes two phases: the first phase is mesh AP staging during which all mesh APs are
wired to the controller (L2 or L3) for configuration. The second phase is mesh deployment: disconnect
all the remote APs (repeater APs and client bridge APs) to establish wireless backhaul connections.
After the deployment, the mesh backhaul topology cannot be modified.
Mesh supported APs apply configuration changes 180 seconds after the last received controller
configuration message. When the configuration is applied on the Mesh AP, the radios shutdown and re-
initialize (this process takes less than 2 seconds), forcing associated MUs to be deauthenticated and the
Mesh link will go down. MUs are able to quickly associate, but the Mesh link will need to be re-
established before MUs can pass traffic. This typically takes about 90 to 180 seconds depending on the
size of the mesh topology.
NOTE
When mesh is employed, the "ap-timeout" value needs to be set to a higher value (for example, 180 seconds) so
Mesh APs remain adopted to the controller during the period when the configuration is applied and mesh links are
re-established.
AP Radius Proxy Support
When an AP is adopted to a controller over a WAN Link, the controller configures the AP for a WLAN
with Radius authentication from a Radius server residing at the central site. When the AP gets a Radius
RSS State Independent WLANs Extended WLANs
RSS Enabled WLAN continues beaconing WLAN continues beaconing but AP does
allow clients to associate on that WLAN
RSS Disabled WLAN stops beaconing WLAN stops beaconing