Manual

Chapter 14: Load Balancing
156
Understanding Load Balancing
Like most configuration settings on the AT-WA7400 Wireless Access
Point, load balancing settings are shared among clustered access points.
Note
In some cases you might want to set limits for only one access point
that is consistently over-utilized. You can apply unique settings to a
particular access point if it is operating in standalone mode. (See
“Understanding Clustering” on page 44 and “Understanding and
Changing Access Point Settings” on page 48.)
Identifying the
Imbalance:
Overworked or
Under-utilized
Access Points
A comparison of session monitoring data for multiple access points allows
you to identify an access point that is consistently handling a
disproportionately large percentage of wireless traffic. This can happen
when location placement or other factors causes one access point to
transmit the strongest signal to a majority of clients on a network. By
default, that access point will receive most of client requests while the
other access points stay idle much of the time.
Imbalances in distribution of wireless traffic across access points will be
evident in session monitoring statistics, which will show higher utilization
rates on overworked access points and conversely, higher idle times on
under-utilized access points. An access point that is handling more than
its fair share of traffic might also show slower data rates or lower transmit/
receive rates due to the overload.
Specifying Limits
for Utilization
and Client
Associations
You can correct for imbalances in network access point utilization by
enabling load balancing and setting limits on utilization rates and number
of client associations allowed per access point.
Load Balancing
and QoS
Load balancing also plays a part in contributing to Quality of Service (QoS)
for Voice Over IP (VoIP) and other such time-sensitive applications
competing for bandwidth and timely access to the air waves on a wireless
network. For more information about configuring your network for QoS,
see Chapter 15, “Configuring Quality of Service (QoS)” on page 161.