smart-sensor

Enables auto-provisioning of APs as sensor within a site (RF Domain).

In a typical WLAN, getting the right balance between the number of APs functioning as sensors and APs providing WLAN service is a serious challenge. The challenge increases exponentially with increase in the size of the deployment. As a rule, approximately 1/3 of the APs within a site should be configured as sensors to provide adequate coverage and monitor WLAN activity. Determining the minimum number of sensor APs required, selecting the APs ideally located to work as sensors and provisioning them as sensors is a cumbersome process. The Smart-sensor feature automates this process using an algorithm.

In a Smart-RF monitored deployment, neighbor details and configuration updates are collected in the Smart-RF neighbor table. This information is used in the algorithm to create a cluster of cells, with each cell representing an AP. The algorithm then identifies APs with best coverage area and provisions them as sensors. The algorithmic calculations vary depending on the cell size. The current implementation provides two algorithms based on whether the AP deployment is dense (small cell size) or sparse (big cell size).

Starting with WiNG 7.3.1, Smart-sensor is supported on both tri-radio and dual-radio APs. The Smart-sensor feature can be configured to select tri-radio and dual-radio APs from the Smart-RF neighbor table and auto-provision them as sensors.
Note

Note

Tri-radio APs will operate as dedicated sensors, where as dual-radio APs will operate in the radio-share mode.
With this enhancement, following are the possible deployment scenarios:
Deployments with only dual-radio APs
Selected APs will operate in radio-share mode
Deployments with only tri-radio APs
Selected APs will operate as dedicated sensors
Deployments with a mix of tri-radio and dual-radio APs
Selected dual-radio APs will operate in radio-share mode
Selected tri-radio APs will operate as dedicated sensors

A new 'tri-radio-only' parameter has been added for deployments consisting of tri-radio and dual-radio APs. This parameter, by default, provisions only tri-radio APs as sensors. Refer to the table for more information.

Supported in the following platforms:

Syntax

smart-sensor {algorithm|auto-trigger|band|tri-radio-only}

smart-sensor algorithm cell-size [dense|sparse]

smart-sensor {auto-trigger}

smart-sensor {band [smart-band-24GHz|smart-band-5GHz]}

smart-sensor tri-radio-only

Parameters

smart-sensor algorithm cell-size [dense|sparse]
smart-sensor Enables the Smart-sensor feature and configures the required parameters
algorithm Uses an algorithm to calibrate a cluster of cells and identify APs best suited to be provisioned as sensors.
cell-size [dense|sparse] Selects the algorithm to use based on the cell size. The options are:
  • sparse - Selects the algorithm suitable for sparse deployments. In sparse deployments, the cell-size is 'big', with APs deployed far apart from each other.
  • dense - Selects the algorithm suitable for dense deployments. In dense deployments, the cell-size is 'small', with APs deployed close to each other.
Note: By default none of the algorithmic options is selected.
 
smart-sensor {auto-trigger|band [smart-band-24GHz|smart-band-5GHz]}
smart-sensor Enables the Smart-sensor feature and configures the required parameters
auto-trigger Optional. Enables/disables auto-triggering of smart-sensor calibration.
Note: The auto-trigger option is enabled by default. To disable auto-trigger, use the no > smart-sensor > auto-trigger command.

The Smart-sensor feature uses an algorithmic function to identify APs best suited to be provisioned as sensors. This algorithmic function is auto-triggered when the Smart-sensor feature is enabled for the first time.

Auto-triggering of calibration is a one-time process. In case, post auto-provisioning of the APs as sensor, the number of APs deployed has changed or if the AP deployment pattern has changed a re-calibration maybe need. To initiate re-calibration, you will have to manually issue the trigger-smart-sensor command to trigger the algorithm. However, ensure that the 'algorithm cell-type' selected is in line with the changed AP deployment scenario.
band [smart-band-24GHz|smart-band-5GHz] Optional. Selects the band (2.4GHz/ 5GHz) used for neighbor list selection for the Smart-sensor feature.
  • Selects the 2.4 GHz band. When selected Smart-sensor uses neighbor APs in the 2.4 GHz band to assign as sensors.
  • Selects the 5 GHz band. When selected Smart-sensor uses neighbor APs in the 5 GHz band to assign as sensors.
    Note: This is the default setting.
Note: Starting with WiNG 7.3.1, a tri-radio-only command has been introduced to enable selection of both tri-radio and dual-radio APs as sensors. See the following table for more information.
 
smart-sensor tri-radio-only
smart-sensor Enables the Smart-sensor feature and configures the required parameters
tri-radio-only This option restricts the Smart-sensor algorithm to only select and provision tri-radio APs as sensors.
Note: It is enabled by default.

If your deployment consists of a mix of tri-radio and dual-radio APs, execute the no > smart-sensor > tri-radio-only command. When executed, the Smart-sensor algorithm equally selects and provisions tri-radio and dual-radio APs as sensors.

Examples

To enable the Smart-sensor feature:
  1. Create a Smart-RF policy. 
    nx9500-6C8809(config)#smart-rf-policy smt-sensor
    1. Enable smart-sensor.
      nx9500-6C8809(config-smart-rf-policy-smt-sensor)#smart-sensor
    2. If needed specify the band (2.4GHz/ 5GHz) used for neighbor list selection. The default value is 'smart-band-5GHz'.
      nx9500-6C8809(config-smart-rf-policy-test)#smart-sensor band smart-band-24GHz
    3. Select the algorithmic function best suited for your deployment.
      nx9500-6C8809(config-smart-rf-policy-smt-sensor)#smart-sensor algorithm cell-size [dense|sparse]
      Note

      Note

      Select 'dense' if the cell size is small (distance between neighboring APs is small). Select 'sparse' if the cell size if large (distance between neighboring APs is large).
      nx9500-6C8809(config-smart-rf-policy-smt-sensor)#show context
smart-rf-policy smt-sensor
 no select-shutdown
 smart-sensor
 smart-sensor algorithm cell-size sparse
 smart-sensor auto-trigger
 smart-sensor band smart-band-24GHz
 smart-sensor tri-radio-only
nx9500-6C8809(config-smart-rf-policy-smt-sensor)#
      Note

      Note

      The auto-trigger and tri-radio-only options are enabled by default.
    4. If needed, disable the 'tri-radio-only' option. This step is required if you have a mixed-deployment consisting of tri-radio and dual-radio APs, and you want Smart-sensor to use both tri-radio and dual-radio APs as sensors. 
      nx9500-6C8809(config-smart-rf-policy-smt-sensor)#no smart-sensor tri-radio-only
  2. Apply the Smart-RF policy to the AP's RF Domain.
    nx9500-6C8809(config-rf-domain-smt-sensor)#use smart-rf-policy smt-sensor

Related Commands

no (smart-rf-policy-config-mode-command) Disables the smart-sensor feature
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