Specifications

Summit WM20 Technical Reference Guide, Software Version 4.2 9
1 Configuration of Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol (DHCP)
Wireless AP Discovery supports the following methods:
● Service Location Protocol (SLP)
● Domain Name Server (DNS) – controller.<domainname>
● Multicast – Same subnet multicast discovery
The listed discovery methods are tried in succession until a method is identified which produces a
successful registration with the a controller. Static configuration can also be used for Wireless AP
registration. The static definition overrides any of the dynamic discovery methods.
For the Wireless AP’s process to discover the Summit WM Controller, the Summit WM Controller,
Access Points and Software system relies on a DHCP server that supports Option 78 and 79 for Service
Location Protocol (SLP). The combination of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Option 78
and 79, and SLP provide a technique that defines the Summit WM Controller as the only element on the
network that the Wireless AP can communicate with.
Option 78 is a list of IP addresses of Directory Agents, used by Service Agents and Users Agents.
Option 79 is an identifier that refers to a set of services called a scope. If a User Agent is assigned to a
scope, it can only see the services in that scope, limiting the IP addresses of Directory Agents available
to the User Agent.
SLP assisted Wireless AP registration includes the following:
● The Summit WM Controller Manager or the Wireless AP Manager use the Service Agent:
● to look up the location of the Directory Agent using Option 78 and Option 79 in the DHCP server
● to register with the Directory Agent
● The Wireless AP User Agent looks up the location of the Directory Agent using Option 78 and
Option 79 in the DHCP server.
● The Wireless AP User Agent contacts the Directory Agent for services of the types “Extreme”.
● The Wireless AP attempts to connect with the Summit WM Controller or Wireless AP Manager.
Through discovery the Wireless AP identifies which Summit WM Controllers are available in it's local
area to provide service. The Wireless AP then registers with the Summit WM Controller using the CTP
protocol, a proprietary UDP based control, provisioning and tunneling protocol.
Service Location Protocol (SLP) (RFC2608)
Service Location Protocol (RFC2608) is a method of organizing and locating the resources (such as
printers, disk drives, databases, e-mail directories, and schedulers) in a network. Using SLP, networking
applications can discover the existence, location and configuration of networked devices.
In larger installations, services will register their services with one or more Directory Agents, and clients
will contact the Directory Agent to fulfill requests for Service Location information.