Cluster Configuration (Controllers Only)

About this task

Configuration and network monitoring are two tasks a network administrator faces as a network grows in terms of the number of managed nodes (controllers, service platforms, wireless devices etc.). Such scalability requirements lead network administrators to look for managing and monitoring each node from a single centralized management entity. NX service platforms provide centralized management solution in the form of centralized management profile that can be shared by any single controller or service platform cluster member. This eliminates dedicating a management entity to manage all cluster members and eliminates a single point of failure.
Note

Note

Cluster configuration is only available on controller devices.

Procedure

  1. Select Devices.
  2. Select a controller from the existing Devices list.
  3. Select Cluster.
    The Settings dashboard opens.
  4. Configure the following Settings:
    Mode A member can be in either an Active or Standby mode. All active member can adopt access points. Standby members only adopt access points when an active member has failed or sees an access point not adopted by a controller or service platform. The default cluster mode is Active
    Name Define a name for the cluster name unique to its configuration or profile support requirements. The name cannot exceed 64 characters
    Master Priority Set a priority value from 1 to 255, with the higher value given higher priority. This configuration is the device‘s priority to become the cluster master. In a cluster environment, one device from the cluster is elected as the cluster master. The master priority setting is the device‘s priority to become cluster master. The active primary controller has the higher priority. The default value is 128
    Force Configured State Delay Specify a delay interval between 3 to 1800 minutes. This is the interval a standby cluster member waits before releasing adopted APs and goes back to a monitoring mode when a controller becomes active again after a failure. The default interval is 5 minutes
    Force Configured State Select to enable this cluster member to take over for an active member if it were to fail. A standby controller or service platform takes over APs adopted by the failed member. If the failed cluster member were to come available again, the active member starts a timer based on the Auto Revert Delay interval. At the expiration of the Auto Revert Delay, the standby member releases all adopted APs and goes back to a monitoring mode. The Auto Revert Delay timer is stopped and restarted if the active member goes down and comes up during the Auto Revert Delay interval
    Handle STP Convergence Select to enable Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) convergence for the controller or service platform. In general, this protocol is enabled in layer 2 networks to prevent network looping. Spanning Tree is a network layer protocol that ensures a loop-free topology in a mesh network of inter-connected layer 2 cluster members. The spanning tree protocol clears redundant connections and uses the least costly path to maintain a connection between any two controllers or service platforms in the network. If enabled, the network forwards data only after STP convergence. Enabling STP convergence delays the redundancy state machine execution until the STP convergence is completed (the standard protocol value for STP convergence is 50 seconds). Delaying the state machine is important to load balance APs at startup
    Radius Counter DB Sync Time Specify a sync time from 1 to 1,440 minutes a RADIUS counter database uses as its synchronization interval with the dedicated NTP server resource. The default interval is 5 minutes
  5. Within the Member field, select Cluster VLAN to designate the VLAN where cluster members are reachable. Specify a VLAN from 1 to 4094.
  6. Select Add to include Member IP Address and Routing Level information.
    Define a routing level between 1 or 2 for the link between adopting devices. The default setting is 1.
  7. After you have completed configuring the settings, choose from the following actions:
    1. Select Apply to commit the configured settings.
      Note

      Note

      This does not save the settings you configured; it provides a preview of your applied settings. To undo the settings you applied, select Revert.
    2. Select Save to commit and save the configured settings.
      Note

      Note

      If you do not select Save, the settings that you configured are not saved when you move away from the configuration window.