Deployment Design

Typically, egress and core devices of large- and medium-sized campus networks are centrally deployed in a core equipment room. Services transmitted on these devices are complex and their locations on the network are important. In most cases, network engineers need to commission devices onsite during the deployment. Therefore, you are advised to use the local command line interface (CLI) to deploy devices at the core layer and its upper layer (including core devices, standalone WACs deployed off-path, and egress devices).

A large number of devices (including aggregation devices, access devices, and APs) are deployed downstream the core layer, and service configurations are similar. Therefore, plug-and-play deployment can be used to simplify deployment. You are advised to use the DHCP option mode. In DHCP Option-based plug-and-play deployment, the IP addresses and DHCP Options (IP address of iMaster NCE-Campus configured using Option 148 and IP address of the WAC configured using Option 43) required by devices are configured on the DHCP server. After a device goes online, it automatically obtains the management IP address and DHCP Option from the DHCP server, and then automatically registers with iMaster NCE-Campus. The switches downstream from the core layer register with iMaster NCE-Campus through DHCP Option 148, and APs register with the WAC through DHCP Option 43.

Table 3-3 lists the recommended deployment modes.

The overall deployment process can be either of the following:

1. Plan the network and then onboard devices: During network deployment, the administrator enters device ESNs and specifies stack members and aggregated links on the controller to complete network topology planning. Alternatively, the administrator can import the preceding planning information in batches using a template. Using a template to import data in batches simplifies operations and is therefore recommended. Then, the administrator uses the preceding methods described in Table 3-3 to onboard devices. After devices go online and register with the controller, it automatically checks whether the actual topology of the devices is the same as the planned one. If cables are incorrectly connected during installation, the controller immediately notifies the administrator.

2. Onboard devices and then determine the network topology: During network deployment, the administrator uses the preceding methods described in Table 3-3 to onboard devices. If there are aggregated links between the devices, the redundant links will be blocked by STP because link aggregation has not been configured when the devices are installed and onboarded. After the devices go online and register with the controller, the administrator checks the topology and deploys link aggregation and service configurations on the controller.

The administrator is advised to plan the network first and then onboard devices. If the network cannot be planned in advance, the administrator can onboard devices and then determine the network topology.

The management port of modular switches does not support a default IP address. Therefore, to log in to the web system of a modular switch through its management port, you need to configure an IP address in advance.