User Manual

Psion Teklogix 9160 Wireless Gateway User Manual 167
Chapter 18: Load Balancing
Understanding Load Balancing
The 9160 Wireless Gateway allows you to balance the distribution of wireless client
connections across multiple access points. Using load balancing, you can prevent
scenarios where a single access point in your network shows performance degrada-
tion because it is handling a disproportionate share of the wireless traffic.
The following sections describe how to configure Load Balancing on your
wireless network.
18.1 Understanding Load Balancing
Like most configuration settings on the 9160 Wireless Gateway, load balancing set-
tings 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 56 and “Navigating To Access Points Management”
on page 55.)
18.1.1 Identifying Imbalance: Overworked Or Under-utilized
Access Points
A typical scenario is that 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 loca-
tion 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 the 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 over-
worked APs and conversely, higher “Idle” times on under-utilized APs. An AP 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.
18.1.2 Specifying Limits For Utilization And Client Associations
You can correct for imbalances in network AP utilization by enabling load balanc-
ing and setting limits on utilization rates and number of client associations allowed
per access point.