The next-generation Juniper Networks JunosV Wireless LAN Controller is a virtual controller using a cloud-based architecture with physical access points. The current functionality of a physical controller is available on the virtual controller, and the virtual controller can support up to 256 access points.
This document describes the installation requirements and procedures to install a Juniper Networks JunosV Wireless LAN Controller (JunosV controller) on a VMware server.
Installation Requirements
Installing the virtual Controller on ESXi 5.x Hypervisor
Upgrading MSS on JunosV Wireless LAN Controller
The JunosV controller runs on a virtual machine (VM) environment that run contained
operating systems and execute applications. If you are not running any VM environments and do not already have VMware ESXi deployed, you can download it at
http://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/esxi-and-esx/overview.html. You have to register and create a free account, and then register separately for each download.
The JunosV controller is a 32-bit Linux application, but ESXi requires hardware with 64-bit capability such as Core 2 family of processors. You must enable the virtualization feature in the BIOS of each host device that deploys the VM environment. Each virtualization host has the following requirements:
Dual Core 2 or higher
2GB of memory dedicated to the JunosV controller
1 GB for the host computer Informational Note:
Before you begin installing this feature in a VMware environment, you should have an understanding of VM environments and installing VMs. Installing and using VMs is beyond the scope of this documentation.
Extra management options
Configurable ports
Auto-negotiation of port speed
WebView
Installation Requirements
To install a single instance of the JunosV controller, you must have:
A server machine with
Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU X5660 @ 2.80GHz processor or equivalent
16 GB of hard disk space
Dedicated 2 GB of RAM space is recommended.
VMware ESXi 5.x installed on the server machine.
For a list of supported platforms and minimum hardware requirements, refer to the VMware Compatibility Guide from the VMware documentation site at:
http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility.
VMware vSphere client 5.x installed in a client machine (Windows XP/Windows7).
For the complete list of supported operating systems and minimum requirements of client machine, refer to the VMware vSphere documentation at:
http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-pubs.html.
OVA file from Juniper support page for installation.
After you have installed ESXi 5.x Hypervisor and the VMware vSphere Client, you can log into the hypervisor and install the JunosV controller image. The JunosV controller image is a *.ova file which you can upload into the vSphere Client as a template file. Once you’ve installed the image, you should review the virtual port settings for the JunosV controller.
Installing the virtual Controller on ESXi 5.x Hypervisor
Informational Note:
There are four virtual ports for the JunosV and each virtual port on the JunosV is assigned to a separate physical NIC.
2. Copy the OVA file to the local disk on the client machine where vSphere client is installed.
Alternatively, the OVA file can be on a mapped network share. It is better to have the OVA file and ESXi running blade at locations closer to each other.
3. Launch the vSphere client installed on the client machine. Type the IP address, user name and password of the ESXi server and click Login.
4. Navigate to File > Deploy OVF template.
5. Browse and select the OVA file from the local disk.
6. Enter the host name for the JunosV Controller (for example, WLCv) and click Next.
7. Select Thin Provision and click Next.
For details, refer to the ESXi and vCenter Server 5 Documentation from the VMware documentation site at: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/ and
http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-50/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.vmware.vsphere.vm_admin.doc _50%2FGUID-4C0F4D73-82F2-4B81-8AA7-1DD752A8A5AC.html.
Informational Note:
We recommend to use “Thin Provisioning” when installing the JunosV software. Thin provisioning optimizes the installation of the JunosV image by using on-demand allocation of blocks of data and improves utilization rates.
8. Click Finish to start the installation process. The time taken to install the JunosV controller depends on the network speed between the vSphere client and ESXi server.
Configuring JunosV Wireless LAN Controller
To configure the JunosV controller:
1. Map the network adaptors of the installed JunosV controller to the correct VM physical interface.
2. Using the vSphere client, power on the installed JunosV Controller and open the console for the JunosV controller.
3. Configure the JunosV controller as:
Type admin for user name and enter. Password is not required.
Type enable to enter the enable prompt.
Type quickstart to configure the controller.
WLCV# quickstart
This will erase any existing config. Continue? [n]: y
Answer the following questions. Enter '?' for help. ^C to break out System Name [WLC-V]: WLCV
Country Code [US]: US
System IP address []: 10.90.5.40
System IP address netmask []: 255.255.0.0 Default route []: 10.90.0.1
Do you need to use 802.1Q tagged ports for connectivity on the default VLAN? [n]: n Enable Webview [y]: Y
Admin username [admin]: admin Admin password [mandatory]:
Enable password [optional]:
Do you wish to set the time? [y]: y Enter the date (dd/mm/yy) []: 13/05/2013 Enter the time (hh:mm:ss) []: 21:07:30 Enter the timezone []: IST
Enter the offset (without DST) from GMT for 'IST' in hh:mm [0:0]:
5:30
Do you wish to configure wireless? [y]: n success: created keypair for ssh
Reviewing Virtual Port Configuration
Use the following steps to validate or configure your virtual port settings for the JunosV controller:
1. Open the vSphere client and log into the hypervisor.
2. Click Configuration --> Networking, and then Properties.
3. Select the vSwitch from the list of virtual machines.
Informational Note:
You must assign a separate physical NIC to each virtual switch. There are four virtual ports for the JunosV and each virtual port on the JunosV is assigned to a separate physical NIC.
4. To locate information about the vSwitch, select and then click Properties.
5. To see information on the specified VM Port group, select the port group and click Edit.
7. Click the Security tab to view additional options.
8. Be sure to select Accept for Promiscuous Mode or the communication on the virtual ports does not work. The JunosV controller uses the MAC address assigned by VMware, but uses the system MAC address if this option is not set to Accept.
Promiscuous mode is a security policy that can be defined at the vswitch or port group level in vSphere ESXi. A VM, Service Console, or VMkernal network interface in a port group which allows the use of promiscuous mode to see all network traffic through the vswitch.
By default, the virtual network adapter of a guest OS receives frames that are meant for it only. Placing the guest network adapter in Promiscuous mode allows all frames passed on the virtual switch to be received if they are allowed under the VLAN policy for the associated group. This can be useful for intrusion detection monitoring or if a sniffer is used to analyze all traffic on the network segment.
9. To view the hardware NIC associated with a specified vswitch, return to the vswitch properties and select the Network Adaptors tab.
10. The NIC status must be set to Auto Negotiate. Click Edit, and then ensure that the correct status is selected.
11. Click OK to close the dialogue box.
12. To view other vSwitches on the hypervisor, return to the Configuration tab, click Networking, then Properties.
After you have configured the vSwitches, you can map the JunosV virtual NICs to VM Port
2. For each virtual NIC (vNIC), select the Network Connection from the list to apply to the vNIC.
Logging into the JunosV Controller Console
Click the Console tab, and then enter MSS commands in the same manner as the CLI on a physical hardware platform.
You can ping your gateway to ensure that you have connectivity to the rest of the network.
CLI Commands Specific to the JunosV Controller
Two commands are available in the JunosV software that apply only to the virtual software:
set system mac - allows you to set the system MAC address that is used for the virtual
set license ap - allows you to enter access points for licensed features on the JunosV controller.
Upgrading MSS on JunosV Wireless LAN Controller
You can upgrade the MSS image on the JunosV controller. You can upgrade the MSS version in two methods:
Within the same major release version (for example, from MSS 9.0.1 to an MR release).
From one major release to the next major release (for example, from MSS 9.0.1 to the next major release version).
Upgrading Within the Same Major Release
To upgrade from MSS 9.0.1 to a 9.0 MR release:
1. Unpack the release_img.tar.gz file to a location from where it can be copied to the JunosV WLC using tftp or scp copy protocols.
2. Copy the .ina file, (/release_img/public/WLCV0xx.ina) to the boot partition on the JunosV controller using tftp or SCP copy protocols. For example,
copy scp://<IP>://<path to .ina file>/<.ina file> boot<x>:
3. Then, follow the same procedure used while upgrading a physical wireless LAN controller.
Informational Note: The SCP copy protocol is faster than the tftp, but can only be used if the station where the .ina file is a linux station. Also, copying the .ina file closer to the blade that hosts the JunosV WLC results in faster file transfer rates.
Upgrading from MSS 9.0.1 to the Next Major Release
To upgrade from MSS 9.0.1 to the next major release:
1. Create a new virtual machine (VM) for the JunosV WLC using the new .OVA file for the next major release and copy the old configuration to the new machine.
2. Set the system serial number and MAC address to the previous VM values using the CLI