Understanding and Troubleshooting Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers

The definitive professional's guide to the Cisco next-gen 9800 wireless controllers

As wireless networks, applications, and services rapidly evolve, they grow increasingly business critical, with steeper requirements for performance, latency, deployment density, and device support. The advanced Catalyst 9800 wireless controllers from Cisco meet these challenges, delivering exceptional adaptability, security, performance, scalability, and programmability. Based on the modern and secure Cisco IOS XE operating system, their support for Cisco intent-based networking will help you continually leverage new innovation. Now, four Cisco experts offer end-to-end guidance, practical tips, and proven recommendations for designing, deploying, and managing wireless networks with the Catalyst 9800.

For technical decision makers, this guide delivers a deep understanding of Catalyst 9800 hardware and software, tightly linked to business value. Architects will find essential details for both upfront network design and feature implementation. Network operators and other IT professionals will discover tested tools and methods for reliable and efficient setup, configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting. Whatever your role, this guide will help you maximize the value of any Catalyst 9800 network, and serve as your indispensable reference for years to come.

• Understand Catalyst 9800 benefits, capabilities, roles, and architecture
• Learn the new C9800 Configuration Model, with key design considerations and best practices
• Deploy and configure the C9800 in private and public clouds
• Systematically secure the C9800: from AAA and ACLs to rogue detection and wireless intrusion prevention (WIPS)
• Establish and optimize seamless client roaming in enterprise environments
• Learn how the C9800 implements key RF concepts
• Plan and implement an end-to-end architecture for QoS, and design/ deploy for high availability and network services like multicast
• Discover value-added wireless services available through Cisco DNA Spaces
• Drive agility and value via network programmability with YANG, Python, RESTCONF, and NETCONF
• Make the most out of the rich data models of Model-Driven Telemetry and Programmability using open-source tools
• Walk through wireless network troubleshooting, backup/restore, and upgrades

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Table of Contents

    Introduction xxvii
Chapter 1 Cisco C9800 Series 1
    Why Cisco C9800? 2
    The Role of the Wireless Controller in a Cloud Era 7
    Managing the Cisco C9800 10
    Cisco Next-Generation Wireless Stack 22
    Summary 23
    References 23
Chapter 2 Hardware and Software Architecture of the C9800 25
    General CAPWAP Split MAC Architecture 25
    The Controller Control Plane Architecture Elasticity 27
    Wireless Client State Machine 31
    One Dataplane to Rule Them All (or Three at the Maximum) 35
    Hardware Overview 38
    Summary 42
Chapter 3 C9800 Configuration Model 43
    C9800 New Configuration Model 43
    Cisco C9800 Series Profile and Tag Considerations 48
    Summary 64
    References 64
Chapter 4 C9800 Deployment and Installation 65
    C9800 Deployment Models 65
    Setting Up Your First Catalyst Wireless Network 79
    Summary 87
    References 87
Chapter 5 Security 89
    Network Security Fundamentals 89
    Wireless Security Fundamentals 116
    Securing the Air 128
    Securing Your Access Points 148
    Securing Your Wireless Controller 151
    Encrypted Traffic Analytics 154
    Cisco Umbrella 155
    Cisco Secure Development Lifecycle (CSDL) 157
    Summary 157
    References 157
Chapter 6 Mobility and Client Roaming 159
    802.11 Roaming 160
    Types of Client Roaming 181
    C9800 to AireOS Inter-Release Controller Mobility (IRCM) 191
    Summary 192
    References 193
Chapter 7 RF Deployment and Guidelines 195
    Radio Resources Management (RRM) Concepts and Components 195
    Challenging RF Environments 199
    Radio Resources Management (RRM) 203
    DCA 211
    RF Profiles 215
    Spectrum Intelligence and CleanAir 219
    Advanced RF Features 224
    Airtime Fairness (ATF) 228
    Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) 232
    Flexible Radio Assignment (FRA) 235
    Wireless Intrusion Prevention System (WIPS) and Rogue Detection 238
    Summary 246
    References 246
Chapter 8 Multicast and Multicast Domain Name System (mDNS) 247
    Wireless Multicast 250
    Media Stream Feature 263
    mDNS 272
    Summary 283
    References 283
Chapter 9 Quality of Service (QoS) 285
    Wi-Fi Quality of Service (QoS) 286
    Wi-Fi (802.11) QoS Fundamentals 287
    Implementing Wireless QoS on the C9800 300
    Designing and Deploying Catalyst C9800 QoS 304
    Best Practices 320
    Summary 322
    References 322
Chapter 10 C9800 High Availability 323
    SSO Redundancy 324
    HA Teardown 349
    SSO Deployment: Impact on Features 350
    N+1 Redundancy 352
    N+1 vs. SSO High Availability 357
    HA in EWC-AP Deployment 358
    HA in EWC-SW Deployment 359
    Summary 359
    References 360
Chapter 11 Cisco DNA Spaces Integration and IoT 361
    Value-Added Wireless Services 361
    Connected Mobile Experiences (CMX) 372
    Cisco DNA Spaces 372
    Specific Service Examples 379
    Summary 392
    References 392
Chapter 12 Network Programmability 393
    What Is Network Programmability? 393
    Why Is Network Programmability Needed? 393
    Is Network Programmability a New Concept? 396
    Orchestration of the Entire Network 396
    Configuration Repeatability 396
    Idempotency 397
    Imperative vs. Declarative Models 397
    Infrastructure as Code (IaC) 400
    Network Programmability in the C9800 401
    Data Models 402
    YANG Data Models 403
    Encoding Formats 406
    Protocols 408
    Tools to Examine YANG Models 412
    How to Examine Data Using NETCONF and YANG Suite 419
    How to Examine Data Using RESTCONF and POSTMAN 421
    Python and Network Programmability 429
    Summary 436
    References 436
Chapter 13 Model-Driven Telemetry 437
    What Is Model-Driven Telemetry? 437
    How to Enable Model-Driven Telemetry 438
    Operational Data and KPIs 441
    Polling vs. Subscribing 447
    Telemetry Streams 448
    How to Identify Subtrees in YANG Models 449
    Dial-out vs. Dial-in 450
    Tools 460
    Summary 467
    References 467
Chapter 14 Cisco DNA Center/Assurance Integration 469
    Introduction 469
    Managing the C9800 with Cisco DNA Center 472
    Summary 492
    References 492
Chapter 15 Backing Up, Restoring, and Upgrading Your C9800 493
    Saving and Restoring the Configuration for Disaster Recovery 493
    Running IOS-XE in Install or Bundle Mode 500
    Upgrading (and Downgrading) the Controller Safely 501
    Summary 506
    References 506
Chapter 16 Troubleshooting 507
    Control Plane Tracing 509
    Embedded Packet Capture (EPC) 525
    Packet Tracer 531
    Troubleshooting Dashboard 536
    Other On-the-Box Tools on the C9800 GUI 540
    Offline Tools for the C9800 545
    Health and KPI Monitoring 548
    Summary 577
    References 578
Appendix A Setting Up a Development Environment 579


9780137492329, TOC, 5/27/2022

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