Cisco Systems OL-6217-01 manual Cisco Swan Framework Overview

Cisco Structured Wireless-Aware Network (SWAN) Implementation Guide

Cisco SWAN Framework Overview

	Table 1		Acronyms, Terms, and Definitions
Term		Definition
Access Point-Based		The Access Point-Based WDS architecture is an architecture
WDS Architecture		with Layer 2 WLAN control domains, where WDS is hosted
		on Cisco Aironet access points.
Switch-Based WDS		The Switch-Based WDS architecture is an architecture with
Architecture		Layer 3 WLAN control domains, where the WDS is hosted on
		the WLSM.
mGRE		Multipoint Generic Route Encapsulation — A tunneling
		encapsulation type defined by IETF RFC that is leveraged by
		the Cisco SWAN framework switch-based WDS solution.
CCKM		Cisco Centralized Key Management — A Cisco- defined
		encryption key management scheme that enables fast secure
		roaming within a WLAN control domain.
802.1X/EAP		802.1X is an IEEE defined mechanism for port access control,
		and extensible authentication protocol (EAP) is an
		authentication protocol defined by IETF RFC. EAP is generic
		enough to be implemented in a number of ways, including
		Cisco LEAP, EAP-FAST, PEAP, EAP-TLS, and EAP-TTLS.
		The combination of 802.1X port access control and EAP
		authentication type is used to secure access to the WLAN.
Cisco LEAP		A Cisco-defined EAP type for secure access to the WLAN
EAP-FAST		A Cisco-defined EAP type for secure access to the WLAN
ACU		Cisco Aironet Client Utility
ADU		Cisco Aironet Desktop Utility

Cisco SWAN Framework Overview

Cisco SWAN provides the framework to integrate and extend wired and wireless networks to deliver the lowest possible total cost of ownership for companies deploying WLANs. Cisco SWAN extends "wireless awareness" into important elements of the network infrastructure, providing the same level of security, scalability, reliability, ease of deployment, and management for wireless LANs that organizations have come to expect from their wired LANs.

The Cisco SWAN framework addresses two key issues with managing and operating WLANs: fast secure WLAN client roaming and radio management. Fast secure roaming allows WLAN clients to move association from one access point to another with little or no service disruption. Cisco SWAN radio management characterizes the radio transmission environment and responds to the conditions of the environment.

The Cisco SWAN framework can be visualized as a layered model. The Cisco SWAN framework layers are:

•Management Layer

•Wireless Domain Services Layer

•Infrastructure Access Point Layer

•Wireless Client Layer

Cisco Structured Wireless-Aware Network (SWAN) Implementation Guide

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