MSM7xx Controllers Configuration Guide v6.4.0

13 Managing Bonjour traffic
Overview
Bonjour is a zero configuration networking protocol that enables devices to automatically publish
and discover IP-based services on a local area network. However, because Bonjour was designed
for small, unmanaged networks, it creates several challenges for the enterprise network administrator:
• Bonjour is based on Multicast DNS (mDNS). Heavy use of multicast greatly affects throughput
on 802.11 wireless networks because multicasts are always sent at the lowest configured
data rate on the radio.
• Bonjour was designed to operate on small, layer 2 networks, and it was never intended to
scale beyond a few dozen nodes (without the use of the more advanced version known as
Wide-Area Bonjour). It uses link-local IP multicasts, which limit a client to discovering services
on a single subnet. This can be problematic in enterprise networks with services on more than
one subnet.
• Bonjour was designed to operate in an environment where all nodes are cooperating and
are trusted. It assumes that all nodes on a network should have access to all services. Since
it makes no attempt at security, a malicious node can easily disrupt and/or hijack services.
The MSM7xx controller has been designed to address these issues. It provides the following features:
• Bonjour gateway: This feature enables Bonjour clients to discover Bonjour services across
layer 3 subnet boundaries. It works by relaying Bonjour traffic between interfaces connected
to the controller. The gateway is transparent to the Bonjour protocol and does not modify any
packet data. The gateway is supported on standalone controllers and controller teams.
• Bonjour traffic management: This feature reduces wireless network congestion caused by
Bonjour's heavy reliance on mDNS multicasts. When enabled, only interested wireless devices
receive Bonjour service announcements, and the use of mDNS multicasts is limited to finding
interested stations.
• Bonjour traffic filtering: Network administrators can define filters that control how inbound or
outbound Bonjour announcements are handled. Each filter is defined in a filter profile, which
can contain up to 15 rules for matching Bonjour announcements. Profiles can be applied at
the VSC, AP, or user level as required. Filters enable a network administrator to control the
ability of clients to discover only the services that they are allowed to use.
Supported products
Bonjour features are available on the following products:
• HP MSM720 (Requires the Premium Mobility Controller license.)
• HP MSM760 (Requires the Premium Mobility Controller license.)
• HP MSM765 zl
• HP MSM775 zl
• HP MSM410
• HP 425
• HP MSM430
• HP MSM460
• HP MSM466/466-R
• HP 517
All Bonjour features are supported when controller teaming is active. (Bonjour features are configured
on the team manager only.)
230 Managing Bonjour traffic