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Cisco Structured Wireless-Aware Network (SWAN) Implementation Guide
Cisco SWAN Framework Overview
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Cisco Structured Wireless-Aware Network (SWAN) Implementation Guide
OL-6217-01
Cisco SWAN Framework Overview
Cisco SWAN provides the framework to integrate and extend wired and wireless networks to deliver the
lowest possible total cost of ownership for companies deploying WLANs. Cisco SWAN extends
"wireless awareness" into important elements of the network infrastructure, providing the same level of
security, scalability, reliability, ease of deployment, and management for wireless LANs that
organizations have come to expect from their wired LANs.
The Cisco SWAN framework addresses two key issues with managing and operating WLANs: fast secure
WLAN client roaming and radio management. Fast secure roaming allows WLAN clients to move
association from one access point to another with little or no service disruption. Cisco SWAN radio
management characterizes the radio transmission environment and responds to the conditions of the
environment.
The Cisco SWAN framework can be visualized as a layered model. The Cisco SWAN framework layers
are:
• Management Layer
• Wireless Domain Services Layer
• Infrastructure Access Point Layer
• Wireless Client Layer
Access Point-Based
WDS Architecture
The Access Point-Based WDS architecture is an architecture
with Layer 2 WLAN control domains, where WDS is hosted
on Cisco Aironet access points.
Switch-Based WDS
Architecture
The Switch-Based WDS architecture is an architecture with
Layer 3 WLAN control domains, where the WDS is hosted on
the WLSM.
mGRE Multipoint Generic Route Encapsulation — A tunneling
encapsulation type defined by IETF RFC that is leveraged by
the Cisco SWAN framework switch-based WDS solution.
CCKM Cisco Centralized Key Management — A Cisco- defined
encryption key management scheme that enables fast secure
roaming within a WLAN control domain.
802.1X/EAP 802.1X is an IEEE defined mechanism for port access control,
and extensible authentication protocol (EAP) is an
authentication protocol defined by IETF RFC. EAP is generic
enough to be implemented in a number of ways, including
Cisco LEAP, EAP-FAST, PEAP, EAP-TLS, and EAP-TTLS.
The combination of 802.1X port access control and EAP
authentication type is used to secure access to the WLAN.
Cisco LEAP A Cisco-defined EAP type for secure access to the WLAN
EAP-FAST A Cisco-defined EAP type for secure access to the WLAN
ACU Cisco Aironet Client Utility
ADU Cisco Aironet Desktop Utility
Table 1 Acronyms, Terms, and Definitions
Term Definition