Cisco Systems OL-7426-03 About the AP-Manager Interface, About Operator-Defined Interfaces

About the AP-Manager Interface

The logical AP-Manager Interface controls Layer 3 communications between Cisco Wireless LAN Controller and Cisco 1000 Series lightweight access points.

The AP-Manager Interface is assigned to one physical port (Cisco WLAN Solution Wired Connections), and can be on the same subnet and physical port as the Management Interface. The AP-Manager Interface can communicate through any physical port except the Service Port as follows:

•Sends Layer 3 messages through the network to autodiscover and communicate with other Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers.

•Listens across the network for Layer 3 Cisco 1000 Series lightweight access point LWAPP polling messages to autodiscover, associate with, and communicate with as many Cisco 1000 Series lightweight access points as it can.

Note: Should a Cisco Wireless LAN Controller fail, its dropped Cisco 1000 Series lightweight access points poll the network for another Cisco Wireless LAN Controller. When an online Cisco Wireless LAN Controller has any remaining Cisco 1000 Series lightweight access point ports, the AP-Manager Interface listens to the network for Cisco 1000 Series lightweight access point polling messages to autodiscover, associate with, and communicate with as many Cisco 1000 Series lightweight access points as it can. Refer to the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Failover Protection section for more information.

Note: The AP-Manager Interface cannot be assigned to the dedicated Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Service Port.

The AP-Manager Interface must be configured for the following:

•VLAN assignment.

•Fixed IP Address (must be different than the Management Interface IP address, but must be on the same subnet as the Management Interface), IP netmask, and default gateway.

•Physical port assignment.

•Primary and Secondary DHCP Servers.

•Access Control List, if required.

Refer to the Configuring the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller section for configuration instructions.

About Operator-Defined Interfaces

Each Cisco Wireless LAN Controller can support up to 512 Operator-Defined Interfaces. Each Oper- ator-Defined Interface controls VLAN and other communications between Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers and all other network devices connected to an individual physical port. Between one and 512 Operator-Defined Interfaces can be assigned to Cisco WLAN Solution WLANs, physical Distribution System Ports, the Layer 2 Management Interface, and the Layer 3 AP-Manager Interface.

Note: Operator-Defined Interfaces cannot be assigned to the dedicated Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Service Port.

CAUTION: Operator-Defined Interface names cannot have spaces in them. If an Operator-Defined Interface name contains a space, you may not be able to edit its configuration using the Command Line Interface.

5/26/05	AP-Manager Interface
OL-7426-03