What should I pay attention to during the configuration of "VAC"?

What should I pay attention to during the configuration of "VAC"?

3.2.1     Implementation Preparation
3.2.1.1    Outline
The following figure shows the VAC network topology. Spare ports on the core switch (or an extra switch) can be used to establish VSL links to ACs.



3.2.1.2    Prerequisites
l  The device types of all member ACs must be the same. For example, multiple WS6108 devices can form a VAC and multiple N18K-WS devices can form a VAC. In contrast, WS6108 devices and WS6816 devices cannot form a VAC, and WS6108 devices and WS6008 devices cannot form a VAC.

l  If more than two box-type ACs form a VAC, spare ports on the uplink switch (core switch in the preceding figure) or an extra switch is required to establish VSL links to ACs. The number of ports is determined based on the number of VSL links planned for each AC. If the number of ports is sufficient, it is recommended that two VSL links be planned for each AC.

*     If two box-type ACs form a VAC, direct connections between ACs can be used as VSL links. Multiple VSL links can be planned for each AC (including box-type and card-type ACs) and serve as backups for each other.

l  The ports on the switch used to establish VSL links must support giant frame forwarding, and the layer-2 MTU is set to 9216.

l  The ports used to connect to data links on the switch must support port aggregation. In addition, the load-sharing of the aggregation port is based on the source IP address or source and destination IP addresses.

*     Currently, most low-end, middle-range, and high-end switches support giant frame forwarding and load-sharing over the aggregation port.

l  Service links of box-type ACs need to be connected to the same uplink switch (core switch in the preceding figure).

l  Card-type ACs need to be configured in the same subrack or the VSU formed by different subracks.

l  Check the functions required by the customer. For details about supported and unsupported functions in the current VAC version, see chapter 5.2.5 "Service Deployment."

l  Check whether cross-WLAN roaming in centralized forwarding mode is required. This function is not supported currently. Communicate with the customer about this function in advance.

3.2.2     Fast Implementation
3.2.2.1    Preparations
Before implementation, make the following preparations:

1.      Plan IP addresses of ACs. A VAC is regarded as an AC and only one CAPWAP control IP address is required.

2.      Compared with a standalone AC, a VAC has VSL links. Plan the ports on the switch to connect VSL links and data links.

3.      If the deployed environment is reconstructed, wireless configurations on multiple ACs, including WLAN, AP group, and AP configurations, need to be combined.

4.      VAC configurations and standalone AC configurations cannot be multiplexed. It is recommended that after ACs be combined to form a VAC, perform configuration again. Upon mode switching, the VAC will store standalone AC configurations. It is recommended that the standalone AC configurations be manually backed up.

Note: If a wireless network is newly deployed or the live wireless network is reconstructed, it is recommended that the VAC be configured before cable connection or the shutdown operation on corresponding ports. In this case, loops occurring before VAC configuration can be prevented.

3.2.2.2    Configuration Implementation
This section describes how to deploy a VAC, excluding wireless service deployment. The deployment differences between box-type ACs and card-type ACs are described in corresponding steps.



In the following configuration steps, ports 0/1 and 0/2 on the ACs are used as the service ports and ports 0/4 and 0/5 on the ACs are used as VSL ports.

5.      Check the AC boot version.

M18000-WS-ED: The boot version needs to be upgraded to 1.2.10 or later.

*     The boot version needs to be upgraded because the three rear ports on the M18000-WS-ED card are in the UP state during startup. As a result, when the M18000-WS-ED card connects to the uplink switch, traffic will be forwarded to this AC at an earlier time, resulting in packet loss. By default, the two front ports on the M18000-WS-ED card are in the DOWN state. If the two front ports are used as the service ports, the boot version does not need to be upgraded.

6.      Upgrade the AC version to B9 or latest.

Run the upgrade download tftp command to upgrade the AC versions to a version that supports VAC (that is, B9 or later).

7.      Perform VAC configuration on the ACs.

Specify the ID of the device to which each AC belongs. The device ID starts from 1. Specify VSL ports. It is recommended that two ports on each AC be configured as VSL ports.

VAC configurations and standalone AC configurations are not multiplexed. Before VAC deployment, export and save standalone AC configurations. After the VAC is deployed, import the standalone AC configurations. (Before the import, modify port-related configurations. For example, the original te0/1 port is a service port, to cut configurations of the te0/1 port over to the aggregation port, add the te1/0/1 port to the aggregation port first. If the wireless-related configurations on each AC are different, the wireless-related configurations need to be integrated before being imported.)

Configurations on the first AC:

Ruijie>enable AC(config)#virtual-ac domain 100 # The domain ID is a digit. The same domain ID must be configured for each AC.

AC(config-vac-domain)#device 1  # Specify the device ID of the AC.

AC(config-vac-domain)#device 1 priority 200  # A higher priority indicates a higher probability of being selected as the active AC.

AC(config-vac-domain)#device 1 description switch1-slot3  # Define description to facilitate AC location query.

AC(config-vac-domain)#exit

AC(config)# vac-port

AC(config-vac-port)#port-member interface gigabitEthernet 0/4  # Specify VSL ports. On the WS card, specify TE ports as VSL ports.

AC(config-vac-port)#port-member interface gigabitEthernet 0/5



Configurations on the second AC:

AC(config)#virtual-ac domain 100

AC(config-vac-domain)#device 2  # Specify the device ID of the AC.

AC(config-vac-domain)#device 2 priority 100

AC(config-vac-domain)#device 2 description switch1-slot4

AC(config-vac-domain)#exit

AC(config)# vac-port

AC(config-vac-port)#port-member interface gigabitEthernet 0/4

AC(config-vac-port)#port-member interface gigabitEthernet 0/5

Configurations on other ACs are similar to the preceding ones. Specify the device ID and VSL ports.

*     The domain ID is used to identify a VAC, which ranges from 1 to 255. ACs within the same VAC must be specified with the same domain ID. The device ID is used to identify an AC within a VAC. The device IDs of ACs within one VAC are numbered by 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. The AC priority is used for active AC selection during VAC startup. The AC with the highest priority is selected as the active AC. In normal cases, for ease of identifying the active and standby ACs, device 1 is configured with the highest priority and device 2 is configured with the second highest priority.

8.      Configure the aggregation port on the uplink switch.

Service ports on ACs used to connect to the uplink switch need to be added to the aggregation port, and the load-sharing of the aggregation port is based on the source and destination IP addresses.

The uplink switch may not be provided by Ruijie, and therefore, needs to be configured based on the actual commands.

ruijie (config)#interface aggregateport 1  # The aggregation port ID is configured based on the actual switch condition.

ruijie (config-if-AggregatePort 1) # switchport mode trunk   # The aggregation port is configured based on the actual network deployment requirements.

ruijie (config-if-AggregatePort 1) #exit

ruijie (config)#interface gigabitEthernet 0/1

ruijie(config-if- GigabitEthernet 0/1)#port-group 1  # Add service ports to the aggregation port.

ruijie (config-if- GigabitEthernet 0/1)#interface gigabitEthernet 0/2

ruijie(config-if- GigabitEthernet 0/2)#port-group 1

ruijie(config-if- GigabitEthernet 0/2)#exit  # Add all service ports on the switch to the aggregation port using the same method.

ruijie (config)#aggregateport load-balance src-dst-ip  # (Mandatory) Configure the load-sharing policy.



*     If a port on the M18000-WS-ED card is not used as the service port or VSL port, it is recommended that unused internal ports on the 18K are shut down.

9.      Set the MTU value of the VSL port on the uplink switch to 9216 and configure an independent VLAN for the VSL ports. (The MTU does not need to be configured on ACs.)

ruijie(config-if-xxx)#mtu 9216

ruijie(config-if-xxx)#switchport access vlan 2024   # Obtain an unused VLAN based on actual conditions.



*     The VSL ports of all member ACs must belong to the same layer-2 LAN and be configured with the same VLAN. It is recommended that non-VSL ports be removed from the VLAN, that is, an independent VLAN be planned only for VSL links.

10.    Switch ACs to the VAC mode.

For box-type ACs, connect VSL ports on the ACs to VSL ports on the uplink switch. Then, switch the ACs to the VAC mode.

AC#write  # Before restarting the VAC, save the VAC configurations.

AC#device convert mode virtual

Convert mode will backup and delete config file, and reload the switch. Are you sure to continue[yes/no]:yes

Do you want to recover config file from backup file in virtual mode (press 'ctrl + c' to cancel) [yes/no]:yes



*     Configurations in independent mode and VAC mode cannot be multiplexed. After ACs are switched to the VAC mode, there is no AC configuration. The standalone AC configurations are backed up. The back files are standalone.text and ap-standalone.text.Wireless configurations of the VAC needs to be configured after the ACs are switched to the VAC mode.

11.    Configure service ports on the active AC.

After the ACs are started, run the show virtual-ac command to query member ACs of the VAC. After the ACs form a VAC normally, service ports on the active AC can be configured and added to the aggregation port.

AC(config)#interface aggregateport 1

AC(config-if-AggregatePort 1)#switchport mode trunk  # Configure the aggregation port based on actual conditions.

AC(config-if-AggregatePort 1)#exit

AC(config)#interface gigabitEthernet 1/0/1  # On the M18K-WS-ED card, the service ports are TE ports.

AC(config-if-GigabitEthernet 1/0/1)#port-group 1

AC(config-if-GigabitEthernet 1/0/1)# interface gigabitEthernet 1/0/2

AC(config-if-GigabitEthernet 1/0/2)# port-group 1 # 同样的方法将其他口加入聚合口# Add other ports to the aggregation port using the same method.

After service ports are configured, connect service ports on box-type ACs to service ports on the uplink switch.

In this case, the VAC environment is set up.



3.2.2.3    Acceptance
show virtual-ac

Query the device ID, priority, and role information about each AC. If an AC is not displayed, the AC is not added to the VAC.

Device_id     Domain_id     Priority     Position     Status     Role          Description

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1(1)          90(90)        100(100)     LOCAL        OK         ACTIVE       switch1-slot3

2(2)          90(90)        90(90)       REMOTE       OK         STANDBY      switch1-slot4

4(4)          90(90)        50(50)       REMOTE       OK         CANDIDATE    switch1-slot5



show virtual-ac topology

Query the role and MAC address of each AC. (The MAC address is not the actually used MAC address.)

Switch[1]: ACTIVE, MAC: 5869.6c1c.43f7, Description:

Switch[2]: STANDBY, MAC: 5869.6c75.0002, Description:

Switch[4]: CANDIDATE, MAC: 003a.b64e.2500, Description:



show virtual resource

Query the CPU usage, memory usage, and flash usage of member ACs.

Device_id CPU(5s) CPU(1m) CPU(5m) Memory Flash

--------------------------------------------------

1         2.80%   4.00%   3.10%   48%    87%  (34963KB free)

2         2.40%   4.60%   3.70%   48%    95%  (12111KB free)

4         10.40%  7.40%   6.00%   52%    81%  (52776KB free)



show interface status

Query the port status. If the ports are normal, the VSL and service ports are in the UP state.

Interface                        Status    Vlan   Duplex   Speed     Type

-------------------------------- --------  ----   -------  --------- ------

GigabitEthernet 1/0/5            up               Full     100M      copper

GigabitEthernet 1/0/8            up        201    Full     100M      copper

GigabitEthernet 2/0/5            up               Full     100M      copper

GigabitEthernet 2/0/8            up        201    Full     100M      copper

GigabitEthernet 4/0/5            up               Full     100M      copper

GigabitEthernet 4/0/8            up        201    Full     100M      copper

AggregatePort 2                  up        201    Full     100M      copper



show virtual-ac balance-info

After APs go online, use this command to query APs and STA association on ACs.

Dev ID     AP Num AP License    STA Num

-------- -------- ---------- ----------

1               1        1.0          0

2               3        6.0          1

4               0        0.0          0



show interface counters rate

After APs go online, use this command to query the traffic over each port. In normal cases, each service port has uplink and downlink traffic.