User guide

Elements of the Summit WM Controller, Access Points and Software Solution
Summit WM20 User Guide, Software Release 4.2 23
Figure 2: Extreme Networks Solution
As illustrated in Figure 2, the Summit WM Controller appears to the existing network as if it were an
access point, but in fact one Summit WM Controller controls many Wireless APs. The Summit WM
Controller has built-in capabilities to recognize and manage the Wireless APs. The Summit WM
Controller:
● Activates the Wireless APs
● Enables Wireless APs to receive wireless traffic from wireless devices
● Processes the data traffic from the Wireless APs
● Forwards or routes the processed data traffic out to the network
● Authenticates requests and applies access policies
Simplifying the Wireless APs makes them cost-effective, easy to manage, and easy to deploy. Putting
control on an intelligent centralized Summit WM Controller enables:
● Centralized configuration, management, reporting, and maintenance
● High security
● Flexibility to suit enterprise
● Scalable and resilient deployments with a few Summit WM Controllers controlling hundreds of
Wireless APs
The Summit WM Controller, Access Points and Software system:
● Scales up to Enterprise capacity – One Summit WM20 Controller controls as many as 32 Wireless
APs. In turn each Wireless AP can handle up to 254 wireless devices, with each radio supporting a
maximum of 128. With additional Summit WM Controllers, the number of wireless devices the
solution can support can reach into the thousands.
DHCP
Server
RADIUS Server
Summit WM
Controller
Router
Wireless AP
Wireless AP
Wireless Device
Wireless Device