Automatic configuration synchronization (Config Sync) with the LANCOM WLC High Availability Clustering XL option

Example application, WLAN controllers:

WLAN infrastructures have become an integral part of modern corporate networks. In the age of the "all wireless office", the increasing demands on the availability of a WLAN solution make it essential to have a reliable backup and high-availability solution. In WLAN infrastructures with a single WLAN controller, any failures or maintenance downtimes (such as a firmware update) of the WLC until now caused the APs connected to it to switch to standalone operation. Consequently, the APs in standalone mode were no longer able to access the features that are provided centrally by the WLC such as a Public Spot, IEEE 802.1X authentication, or Layer-3 tunnels.

In order to avoid this and to maintain the full operation of all WLAN capabilities even if a WLC should be temporarily unavailable, one or more redundant or backup WLCs should be employed. In the backup event, the APs automatically switch from the temporarily unavailable WLC to a backup WLC. The backup WLC has the same configuration (e.g. AP table or WLAN profiles) as required by the primary WLC of the APs. The initial setup of the WLCs and any subsequent configuration changes must be carried out separately and identically on each device—a huge effort for the administrator. Manual maintenance of the configurations between multiple identical devices could lead to outdated or non-synchronous configurations on the backup WLCs, which in the case of a backup event could lead to a critical state for the entire WLAN infrastructure. The resulting troubleshooting usually turns out to be a real challenge. The users of the WLAN clients experience a loss of productivity, which could have major consequences company-wide.

New with the LANCOM WLC High Availability Clustering XL option: This software option allows multiple WLCs to be grouped into a highly-available cluster. In this way, configuration changes, features and enhancements made on one WLC are automatically transferred between the other WLCs in the cluster, without having to make manual changes on each individual device. Common parameters in a cluster (e.g. WLAN profiles, AP tables, or Public Spot settings) remain synchronized, individual parameters (such as the IP address of the WLC) are not exchanged.

The LANCOM WLC High Availability Clustering XL option offers greatly simplified administration and huge time savings because you only need to configure one WLC in the cluster. The WLC then transfers the changes to the other cluster devices automatically. In the case of maintenance downtime (e.g. for a firmware update) or even the failure of a WLC, the APs automatically connect to another WLC which, thanks to Config Sync, already has the identical configuration without any intervention by the administrator. The result is a convenient way to high availability.