Overview of Cisco Unified Wireless Network Architecture
The Cisco Unified Wireless Architecture is a multiservice solution designed for any type of organization. It can be deployed in your corporate offices, branches, retail stores, hospitals, manufacturing plants, warehouses, educational institutions, financial institutions, government agencies, and any other type of organization that needs wireless connectivity. Industry standards including the IEEE 802.11 and the draft IETF Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points (CAPWAP) are supported.
Because the Cisco Unified Wireless Network is a multiservice solution, it supports data, voice, and video applications. Some examples of data applications are as follows:
• Internet access
• Virtual private network (VPN) access
• Inventory management applications
• Asset tracking
• Mobile healthcare applications
You can also run Voice over IP (VoIP) over WLAN. The Cisco Unified Wireless Network Architecture also supports video, such as video surveillance applications, video streaming applications for e-learning, and others. The Cisco Unified Wireless solution provides interoperability with the Cisco Wireless IP Phones to provide comprehensive voice communications using Cisco Unified CallManager and Cisco Wi-Fi access points. The Cisco Compatible Extensions program gives third-party manufacturers the ability to design industry-standard and Cisco innovations into a wide variety of devices. Other advanced features such as wireless intrusion detection and prevention, precise location tracking, and Network Admission Control (NAC) are also supported.
You can implement wireless networks in all sizes. For example, you can have merely a couple of wireless access points or wireless routers within your organization, as illustrated in Figure 8-1.
In Figure 8-1, a wireless access point and a wireless router are accepting connections from end-user workstations, laptops, and wireless scanners. This approach is only appropriate for small environments. It is not feasible for medium and large organizations because it does not provide centralized management and ease of deployment. The Cisco Unified Wireless Network solution provides centralized management that allows you to easily deploy WLAN configurations with the same level of security, scalability, and reliability to all wireless networking devices within your organization. Figure 8-2 illustrates the main components of the Cisco Unified Wireless Network.
Figure 8-1 Basic Wireless Network
Figure 8-2 The Cisco Unified Wireless Network Architecture Mobile Clients
Cisco WLAN Management via WLSE
Cisco WLAN Location Appliance
Figure 8-2 The Cisco Unified Wireless Network Architecture Mobile Clients
Cisco WLAN Management via WLSE
Cisco WLAN Location Appliance
- Mobile Clients
The following are the primary components of the Cisco Unified Wireless Network solution (as illustrated in Figure 8-2):
• WLAN management: Centralized management enables configuration of the same level of security, scalability, and reliability features throughout your organization. You can use the CiscoWorks Wireless LAN Solution Engine (WLSE) or the CiscoWorks WLSE express.
• Wireless LAN controllers: Provision of centralized intelligence for wireless access point management.
• Access points: Devices to which mobile devices connect.
• Mobile clients: End-user workstations, laptops, personal assistant (PDAs), and other wireless devices that ensure peak performance and interoperability.
• Mobility services: Services such as voice over wireless LAN, wireless intrusion detection and prevention, precise location tracking (Cisco WLAN Location Appliance), and others.
NOTE For general information about the Cisco wireless devices, go to http://www.cisco.com/go/wireless.
You can deploy wireless access points within your organization in two modes: unified mode (as illustrated in Figure 8-2) and autonomous mode. In autonomous mode, a WLSE network management appliance is deployed with autonomous access points. Some access points act as domain controllers (WDS) for sets of access points communicating over the wired network using the Wireless LAN Context Control Protocol (WLCCP). This is illustrated in Figure 8-3.
Figure 8-3 Autonomous Wireless Access Points
Figure 8-3 Autonomous Wireless Access Points
The main difference between the unified and autonomous modes is that in unified mode, access points operate with the Lightweight Access Point Protocol (LWAPP) and work in conjunction with Cisco wireless LAN controllers and the Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS). When configured with LWAPP, the access points can automatically detect the best-available Cisco wireless LAN controller and download appropriate policies and configuration information with no manual intervention. Autonomous access points are based on Cisco IOS software and may optionally operate with the Cisco WLSE. Autonomous access points, along with the Cisco WLSE, deliver a core set of features and may be field-upgraded to take advantage of the full benefits of the Cisco Unified Wireless Network as requirements evolve.
You can individually manage Cisco Aironet autonomous access points via the command-line interface (CLI), a web interface, the CiscoWorks WLSE, or CiscoWorks WLSE Express. On the other hand, Cisco recommends that you upgrade any existing Cisco Aironet access points operating autonomously to run LWAPP and operate them as lightweight access points to receive all the features, benefits, and mobility services of the Cisco Unified Wireless Network.
NOTE Cisco provides free upgrade software for existing customers at
http://tools.cisco.com/support/downloads/pub/MDFTree.x?butype=wireless.
Continue reading here: Authentication and Authorization of Wireless Users
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