CCNP Wireless CUWSS 642-732 Summary Notes 18 : Hardware for the RF Network

Designing the RF network

Define the APs and WLC requirements

AP Density

This depends on:

• Application requirements
  • Data Networks (web browsing)
    • 15 to 25 users per AP
      • 802.11b users reduce a 802.11g AP throughput dramatically. The 802.11b client still has a maximum data rate of 11 Mb/s per second and a maximum throughput of 7.1 Mb/s.
    • Data requires 15 to 20 % overlap
    • For an application such as bar code reading, the number of users can increase considerably and this may require using IEEE 802.11g to increase data rates.
  • Location based services
    • To avoid co channel interference due to dense deployment, the APs at the edge should be set to monitor mode (only used for location purposes)
    • inter-access point separation of between 40 to 70 feet.
  • Legacy clients may impact the network and should be taken into account
    • Take into consideration protection mechanisms
    • Supported channels
    • Supported encr yptions
• Number of users
• Data Rate Supported
  • By increasing the access point count and lowering the power, you can improve throughput for users.

Hardware use case APs

• 1130APs
  • Used Indoors
  • Has internal antennas
  • Used in schools and healthcare facilities
  • With dual 802.11a and 802.11g radios, the access point provides up to 108 Mb/s of capacity in a single device.
• 1140APs
  • similar to 1130
  • has 802.11n
• 1240APs
  • Ruggedized APs
  • Used in warehouses
  • Support 802.11a/b/g
  • External connectors
  • With dual 802.11a and 802.11g radios, the access point provides up to 108 Mb/s of capacity in a single device.
• 1250APs
  • Ruggedized APs
  • Used in warehouses
  • has 802.11n
  • Supports 1000 Ethernet which was specifically engineered to support the power, throughput, and 802.11n.
  • needs 18.5Ws

Controllers

• 5500
  • Supports 12 – 500 APs (12,25,50,100,250,500)
  • Max throughput of 8 Gbps
  • Supports up to 7000 clients
  • Up to 3000 RFIDs
  • Supports up to 100 Concurrent AP upgrades and joins
  • Up to 8, 1 Gbps SFPs that are non PoE
  • Supports up to 18000 APs in a mobility domain
  • Only 1 WLC per physical device
  • Consumes 125 W power
  • Flexible AP count and feature upgrade via licencing
  • Encrypted data link between AP and WLC
• 4400
  • Falvours: 4402 and 4404
  • 4402: Supports 12,25,50, APs and has 2 GB connections
  • 4404: Supports up to 100 APs, 4 GB connections and used in Medium to large office deployments
  • Max throughput of 4 Gbps
  • Supports up to 5000 clients
  • Supports up to 10 Concurrent AP upgrades and joins
  • Up to 4, 1 Gbps SFPs
  • Supports up to 7200 APs in a mobility domain
  • Only 1 WLC per physical device
  • Consumes 47 W power
  • No Flexible AP count and feature upgrade via licencing
  • No Encrypted data link between AP and WLC
  • WiSm (Wireless Intergrated Services Module)
  • Used in 6500 Catalyst and 7800 routers
  • Supports 300 APs
  • Max throughput of 8 Gbps
  • Supports up to 10000 clients
  • Supports up to 20 Concurrent AP upgrades and joins
  • uses cat6K backplane
  • Supports up to 10800 APs in a mobility domain
  • 2 WLC per physical device
  • Consumes 164 W power
  • Flexible AP count and feature upgrade via licencing
  • Encrypted data link between AP and WLC
  • can be clustered to support up to 3600 APs (12 WiSMs)
• 2100
  • Flavours – 2106 (6 APs) , 2112 (12 APs) and 2125 (25 APs)(21XX indicates the supported APs)
  • 8 ports, 2 of which can provide power to Cisco access points
  • To avoid co-channel interference in dense deployments, some of the APs can be set to monitor mode
  • Locations that deploys 3 or more APs can utilize RRM ( Radio Resource Manager) that is RF manager for the network. It dynamically manages power and channels for APs.
• Cisco 2500 Series WLAN Controller
  • Ideal for Enterprise branches and Small and medium sized businesses
  • Supports up to 50 APs
  • Supports up to 500 clients
  • Has 4 GB ports (2 are PoE and can be used to power APs)
• Cisco Catalyst 6500 Wireless Service Module 2 (WiSM2)
  • Supports up to 500 APs (100,300,500)
  • Up to 10000 WLAN Clients
  • Up to 5000 RFIDs
  • Up 2 5 WiSM blades if switch supports other modules, 7 blades if chassis does not support other modules (also forthe Cisco 7600 Series router)
  • Several chassis can be clustered together (up to 36000 APs in one mobility group)
  • Requires a Supervisor 720 module to support WiSM2
• Cisco Flex 7500 Series Controller
  • Designed specifically for HREAPs
  • Does not support APs in other modes
  • Suppports up to 2000 HREAPs (250,500,1000,2000)
  • Up to 20000 wireless clientsConnects to the wired network through 2 10 GB ports

WCS

• OS requirements
  • Windows 2003 SP2 or later or Linux Red Hat 5.0.32 bit or later
• Highend Server
  • Supports up to 3000 LWAP AP, 1250 Autonomous APs and 750 Controllers
  • Requires at least Intel Xeon 3.16 Quad GHz CPU with 8 GB RAM and 200 GB Hard-drive (80 free)
• Standard Server
  • Supports up to 2000 LWAP AP, 1000 Autonomous APs and 450 Controllers
  • Requires at least Intel Xeon 3.2 GHz CPU with 4 GB RAM and 80 GB Hard-drive (40 free)
• Low end Server
  • Supports up to 500 AP, 200 Autonomous APs and 125 Controllers
  • Requires at least Intel 3.06 GHz CPU with 2 GB RAM and 40 GB Hard-drive (30 free)
• Location Based Services
  • WCS requires a licence to enable location based services depending on the number of tracked clients
  • WCS can track but on demand and only one device at a time
  • RequiresMSE (also needs a licence)
    • MSE 3310
      • tracks 2000 devices simulteneously
      • Supports up to 2000 APs in WiPS ( Wireless Intrusion Prevention System)
    • MSE 3355
      • tracks 18000 devices simulteneously
      • Supports up to 2000 APs in WiPS ( Wireless Intrusion Prevention System)
• WCS Licence
  • BasedonthenumberofdeployedAPsnown to the WCS
    • Single-server  licence (50,100,500 AP units) with a total of up to 3000 APs per server
    • Multiple server licences (1000, 2500, 10000, 50000 with a total of 50000 APs per WCS)
    • Licences can be:
      • Base Licence
        • Location based on client RSSI from the closest AP
      • Plus Licence
        • Provides real location determined from RSSI read from several APs
        • Provides MSE support
        • Provides HA for WCS feature
      • CAS (Context Aware Services)licences ( 3000, 6000, 12000 devices) for location tracking)
      • WiPS Licence (25,100,500, 2000 APs)
    • MSE  can support WiPS and CAS on sma eappliance
  • Specific cleanair licence is not required
  • Each located interferer consumes a standard CAS slot
  • If you plan on running Spectrum intelligence ( Cisco Spectrum Expert) then a Spectrum intelligence licence is required for collecting information on WCS from Spectrum Expert stations)

Wired Connection requirements

Post Deployment

A detailed hardware requirement list should have:

Wireless equipment needed

Supporting infrastructure upgrades

• RF Validation for the installed wireless network
  • Co channel interference and appropriate channel separation
  • Power levels are consistent with site survey
  • If designing for AP failover or designing to RRM
  • RF Coverage (band by band)
• Roaming audit
  • Airmagnet can be used in active and also using IPERF
• Wireless Infrastructure
  • If designing especially globally, verify channel allocation is consistent
  • For 5 GHz band, make sure that the clients support all those UNI bands.Verify that RRM is consistent with what was achieved during survey
• Application testing
  • Validate all layers 1 through 7

References:

1. CCNP Wireless  (642-732 CUWSS) Quick Reference Guide by Jerome Henry
2. IPexpert’s CCNP CUWSS Wireless Voice on Demand (642-731)