IP-dependent auto configuration and tagging of APs

The easiest way to manage all of the APs that you add to a managed network is to use a flat hierarchy. However, in the largest installations with hundreds of APs across several locations, this type of organization quickly becomes confusing and creates a high level of administrative effort. Setting up Assignment groups can help to simplify the management of distributed APs. The WLC can automatically to configure each new AP based on the IP addresses it receives. Manual assignment of an IP parameter profile, a WLAN profile and a Client-steering profile by an administrator is no longer required.

The following describes how an assignment group is used when an unassociated AP registers with a central WLC: After the new APs are installed on site (e.g. at a company or branch network), they try to establish a connection to the specified WLC and obtain a configuration via CAPWAP. The WLC detects the connection requests and, for each new AP, it checks the AP table for a suitable AP profile (e.g., the default profile) and/or whether a suitable assignment group has been defined. If one or more configuration options are available, the WLC checks them for the following states:

For a new AP there is an assignment group but no AP profile. In this case, the WLC assigns the profile specified in the assignment group to the new AP.
For a new AP there is both an assignment group as well as an AP profile. In this case, the WLC ignores the assignment group and assigns the profile defined in the AP profile to the new AP.
For a new AP, there is an AP profile but no assignment group. The behavior is the same as point (2).

If a new AP has neither an AP profile nor an assignment group, the WLC issues an alarm to notify the administrator of the incorrect configuration.

After successful group assignment, the WLC automatically creates an AP profile for every new AP in the access point table. In the Groups field, the WLC references the assignment group used when it added the new AP.

Important: An AP is only ever allowed to receive one assignment group. If the IP address ranges of the assignment groups overlap, LCOS immediately detects the configuration error and writes the messages to the corresponding status table under Status > WLAN-Management > AP-Configuration.

The group field also gives you the the option of assigning individually definable tags to an AP. For example, these Tag groups can be used to act as filter criteria in order for the WLC to restrict the actions it performs to a selection of APs.