Specifications

DRM – Dynamic Radio Management
Summit WM Technical Reference Guide, Software Version 5.3130
If ACS is triggered only on one Wireless AP and one radio, that Wireless AP will scan all available
channels for that radio and then select the best channel and begin operating on that channel (according
to the criteria described below). If ACS is triggered simultaneously on multiple Wireless APs, the
Wireless APs will synchronize and cooperate in the process of selecting channels. This helps to avoid
multiple Wireless APs jumping on the same channel because it looks free.
Automatic Transmit Power Control (ATPC) overview
Each Altitude AP with ATPC enabled will look at the closest (in terms of RF attenuation) Altitude AP
operating on the same channel with ATPC enabled, and will adjust Tx power depending on the
attenuation toward the closest Altitude AP.
NOTE
ATPC does not rely on the received signal strength. Instead, it relies on the RF attenuation between Wireless APs,
which is the difference between the power level at the transmitter and the received signal strength. Therefore, when
the Tx power changes on one Altitude AP, it will not induce Tx power changes on the neighboring Wireless APs.
ATPC, if used properly, can significantly improve the reliability of the network by monitoring the RF
environment and adjusting the Tx power of the Wireless APs in order to compensate for changes in the
RF environment. For example:
● If an obstructing object is installed in a room, ATPC will increase the Tx power for one or more of
the neighboring Wireless APs to compensate.
● If an empty room fills with people, ATPC will increase the Tx power for the Wireless APs in the
room to compensate.
● If one or more Wireless APs go out of service, ATPC will increase the TX power for their neighbors
in an attempt to fill in the coverage hole.
However, it is important to note the following:
● The ATPC algorithm does not know the desired coverage footprint for a Wireless AP so it is not a
replacement for a site survey. However, it is a good addition to the site survey.
● ATPC cannot always fully compensate for the changes in the RF environment because even the
maximum allowed Tx may not be enough and because the Wireless AP has a limited view of the
actual degradation.
Dynamic Channel Selection (DCS) overview
DCS monitors the operating channel and triggers a channel change, via ACS, when the conditions on
the operating channels worsen beyond user-defined thresholds. The thresholds are configured on the
radio properties tabs of the Summit WM GUI. The two parameters DCS monitors are channel utilization
and noise floor.
DCS has two modes of operation:
● Monitor – DCS only monitors the channel utilization and noise floor and issues an alarm when the
user-defined thresholds are exceeded.
● Active – DCS monitors the channel utilization and noise floor and triggers a channel change, via
ACS, when the user-defined thresholds are exceeded.