10 Jun 2021 Cambium Networks XMS-Cloud Part Two

Posted at 10:56h in Cambium Networks, Xirrus by Amy Neale

Cambium Networks XMS-Cloud: Network Configuration and Zero Touch Provisioning

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to our second blog post covering Cambium Networks XMS Cloud. By now you should have already read our first blog, if you haven’t then read it here, and come back once you’re done. In this post, we will look into network configuration and zero-touch provisioning with a step by step guide.

Configuring and managing access points (APs) is made simple and easy by creating network profiles. Network profiles are templates that are pushed to all the APs that are a member of each profile. When you add an AP to the profile the configurations are automatically pushed through, with this you will have a consistent image across the entire network on all APs. If you make changes to a profile these will automatically transfer to the APs included in the profile.

Below we will cover the steps in creating a profile.

CREATING A PROFILE

Step One

Create a Profile. A profile is used to configure SSIDs, VLANs, Uplink Ports, Network Settings, Application Control Policies and more….

Step Two

Name the profile an easily discernible description

The system interface is designed to be simple and intuitive, follow a left to right workflow through the configuration tiles to create the desired profile.

Step Three

Network

Configure IP address, DNS, Ports and VLANs

Step Four

Access Points

Create your SSID, Band, Encryption/Authentication, VLAN, Schedule, Access Control

Step Five

VLANs

You should create VLAN entries for all the VLANs in your wired network if you wish to make traffic from those VLANs available on the wireless network. Each tagged VLAN should be associated with an SSID. The AP will discard any VLAN-tagged packets arriving on its wired ports unless the same VLAN has been defined.

Step Six

Policies

Manage applications based on the “SSID Policy”, Active Directory User Group “User Group Policy” like Active Directory or even based on device type “Device Policy”.

Create firewall rules at layers 2,3 & 4 of the TCP/IP protocol stack and Application Control policies at layers 5,6 & 7 are defined in this tab.

Step Seven

Save Configuration allows us to Push Now or Schedule Push.

Push Now sends configurations out usually within 15 – 20 seconds, other competitors can take as long as 2, 3 5 or even 15 minutes.

Schedule Push sends out the configurations at a predetermined time allowing the network administrator to perform changes to the network for example overnight or according to network change policies.

Step Eight

Assign a Default Profile

Assign as Default allows you to ensure all new APs installed and added to the Network take on this profile, making this a truly Zero-Touch approach for managing the network.