Adaptive radio architecture support 6.4.3

Adaptive Radio Architecture (ARA) centralizes and improves the overall efficiency of the wireless network. Dynamic Radio Mode Assignment (DRMA) is a feature in ARA that enables FortiAPs to calculate the network coverage factor (NCF) based on radio interference.

When DRMA is enabled in the WTP profile or on the specific AP, the APs run in automatic mode. The AC assigns the radio mode to the APs based on the DRMA NCF value that is calculated at each configured interval.

The NCF value is calculated based on overlapping coverage in a radio coverage area. If a radio is determined to be redundant based on the configured NCF threshold, then it switches from AP mode to monitor mode. When the NCF is next calculated, if the value is below the threshold then the radio switches back to AP mode.

To configure the DRMA interval:

config wireless-controller timers
    set drma-interval <integer>
end

Where:

drma-interval

Dynamic radio mode assignment (DRMA) schedule interval, in minutes (1 - 1440, default = 60).

To configure DRMA on a specific AP device:

config wireless-controller wtp
    edit <id>
        config <radio>
            set drma-manual-mode {ap | monitor | ncf | ncf-peek}
        end
    next
end

The manual mode options include:

ap	Set the radio to AP mode.
monitor	Set the radio to monitor mode
ncf	Select and set the radio mode based on the NCF score (default).
ncf-peek	Select the radio mode based on the NCF score, but do not apply it.

To configure DRMA in a WTP profile:

config wireless-controller wtp-profile
    edit <profile>
        config <radio>
            set drma enable
            set drma-sensitivity {low | medium | high}
        end
    next
end

DRMA is disabled by default. The sensitivity options are:

low	Consider a radio as redundant when its NCF is 100% (default).
medium	Consider a radio as redundant when its NCF is 95%.
high	Consider a radio as redundant when its NCF is 90%.

Diagnose commands

To display the calculated DRMA results:

# diagnose wireless-controller wlac -c wtp-drma-radio 1

To manually start the DRMA evaluation:

# diagnose wireless-controller wlac  -c wtp-drma-eval

To manually change the WTP radio mode:

# diagnose wireless-controller wlac -c wtp-drma-mode wtp-id rId {ap | monitor | ncf}

# diagnose wireless-controller wlac -c ws-drma-mode vfid-ip:port rId {ap | monitor | ncf}

These commands immediately change the WTP or WS radio operating DRMA mode.

To enable the DRMA related daemon log:

# diagnose wireless-controller wlac debug drma 5

# diagnose debug enable

Example

In this example, DRMA is enabled in the WTP profile and the sensitivity is set to high. A FortiAP using the profile is put into monitor mode when NCF drops below the threshold, and then goes back into AP mode when the NCF goes back above the threshold.

To configure the WTP profile and apply it to the AP:

config wireless-controller wtp-profile
    edit "FAP423E-default"
        config platform
            set type 423E
        end
        set wan-port-mode wan-lan
        set handoff-sta-thresh 55
        set ap-country US
        set allowaccess https ssh snmp
        set login-passwd-change yes
        set login-passwd ********
        config radio-1
            set band 802.11n,g-only
            set drma enable
            set drma-sensitivity high
        end
        config radio-2
            set band 802.11ac
        end
        config lbs
            set station-locate enable
        end
    next
end

config wireless-controller wtp
    edit "FP423E3X17000357"
        set admin enable
        set region "s"
        set region-x "0.5617862681516"
        set region-y "0.2023121387283"
        set wtp-profile "FAP423E-default"
        config radio-1
        end
        config radio-2
        end
    next
end

Results

When the interference is too high, the AP is put into monitor mode. When the interference goes back below the threshold, the AP is put back into AP mode.

To view the results when the AP is put into monitor mode:

# diagnose wireless-controller wlac -c wtp-drma-radio 1

41652.277 cwTimerDrmaIntervalHandler,739 begin
41652.277 cwAcWsDrmaHndl,689 ws (0-15.5.5.1:5246):0 re 0x657f8c0 ddscan_re (nil)
41652.277 cwAcWsDrmaRadioNcf,519 band_5g 0 wr PU421ETF19005587,0 chan 11 noise -95 snr 10
...
41652.279 cwAcWsDrmaRadioNcf,567 band_5g 0 re FP423E3X17000357,0 drma_wr_cnt 4 tot ncf 350
41652.279 cwAcWsDrmaHndl,700 ws (0-15.5.5.1:5246):0 wr_n 0 drma 1 mmode(ncf) ncf 94 thresh 90 monitor 0(0) ==> ncf eval 1
41652.279 cwAcWsRadioModeSet,647 ws (0-15.5.5.1:5246):0 curr oper mode 0 new mode 1
41652.280 cwAcSendCfgUpdReq_vap_downup,4310 ws (0-15.5.5.1:5246) rId 0 wId 0 downup 1
41652.280 cwAcWsVapModeMark ws (0-15.5.5.1:5246):0,0 mon 1 ws (0-6.6.6.2:5246):2 wr FP423E3X17000357,0 !
...
41652.283 cwTimerDrmaIntervalHandler,747 end

The results show that the NCF is 94%, which is above the threshold of 90%, so the AP mode is changed to monitor.

The following logs are generated, showing that the AP is now in monitor mode:

date=2020-08-19 time=11:04:20 logid="0104043697" type="event" subtype="wireless" level="notice" vd="root" eventtime=1597860260283044465 tz="-0700" logdesc="Physical AP radio DRMA stop" sn="FP423E3X17000357" ap="FP423E3X17000357" ip=15.5.5.1 radioid=1 radioband="802.11n,g-only" bandwidth="20MHz" configcountry="US " opercountry="US " cfgtxpower=27 opertxpower=3 slctdrmamode="monitor" operdrmamode="monitor" action="drma-stop" msg="AP FP423E3X17000357 radio 1 DRMA stopped."

date=2020-08-19 time=11:04:20 logid="0104043698" type="event" subtype="wireless" level="notice" vd="root" eventtime=1597860260282952255 tz="-0700" logdesc="Physical AP radio DRMA mode" sn="FP423E3X17000357" ap="FP423E3X17000357" ip=15.5.5.1 radioid=1 radioband="802.11n,g-only" bandwidth="20MHz" configcountry="US " opercountry="US " cfgtxpower=27 opertxpower=3 slctdrmamode="monitor" operdrmamode="monitor" action="drma-mode" msg="AP FP423E3X17000357 radio 1 DRMA selected mode monitor operating mode monitor."

date=2020-08-19 time=11:04:20 logid="0104043696" type="event" subtype="wireless" level="notice" vd="root" eventtime=1597860260277325993 tz="-0700" logdesc="Physical AP radio DRMA start" sn="FP423E3X17000357" ap="FP423E3X17000357" ip=15.5.5.1 radioid=1 radioband="802.11n,g-only" bandwidth="20MHz" configcountry="US " opercountry="US " cfgtxpower=27 opertxpower=3 slctdrmamode="ap" operdrmamode="ap" action="drma-start" msg="AP FP423E3X17000357 radio 1 DRMA started."

To view the results when the AP goes back into AP mode:

# diagnose wireless-controller wlac -c wtp-drma-radio 1

41712.277 cwTimerDrmaIntervalHandler,739 begin
41712.277 cwAcWsDrmaHndl,689 ws (0-15.5.5.1:5246):0 re 0x657f8c0 ddscan_re (nil)
41712.277 cwAcWsDrmaRadioNcf,519 band_5g 0 wr PU421ETF19005587,0 chan 1 noise -95 snr 11
...
41712.279 cwAcWsDrmaRadioNcf,567 band_5g 0 re FP423E3X17000357,0 drma_wr_cnt 4 tot ncf 344
41712.279 cwAcWsDrmaHndl,700 ws (0-15.5.5.1:5246):0 wr_n 0 drma 1 mmode(ncf) ncf 88 thresh 90 monitor 1(1) ==> ncf eval 0
41712.279 cwAcWsRadioModeSet,647 ws (0-15.5.5.1:5246):0 curr oper mode 1 new mode 0
41712.279 cwAcSendCfgUpdReq_vap_downup,4310 ws (0-15.5.5.1:5246) rId 0 wId 0 downup 0
41712.280 cwAcWsVapModeMark ws (0-15.5.5.1:5246):0,0 mon 0 ws (0-6.6.6.2:5246):2 wr FP423E3X17000357,0 !
...
41712.282 cwTimerDrmaIntervalHandler,747 end

The results show that the NCF is now 88%, which is above the threshold of 90%, so the mode is changed back to AP.

The following logs are generated:

date=2020-08-19 time=11:05:20 logid="0104043697" type="event" subtype="wireless" level="notice" vd="root" eventtime=1597860320282294450 tz="-0700" logdesc="Physical AP radio DRMA stop" sn="FP423E3X17000357" ap="FP423E3X17000357" ip=15.5.5.1 radioid=1 radioband="802.11n,g-only" bandwidth="20MHz" configcountry="US " opercountry="US " cfgtxpower=27 opertxpower=3 slctdrmamode="ap" operdrmamode="ap" action="drma-stop" msg="AP FP423E3X17000357 radio 1 DRMA stopped."

date=2020-08-19 time=11:05:20 logid="0104043698" type="event" subtype="wireless" level="notice" vd="root" eventtime=1597860320282202827 tz="-0700" logdesc="Physical AP radio DRMA mode" sn="FP423E3X17000357" ap="FP423E3X17000357" ip=15.5.5.1 radioid=1 radioband="802.11n,g-only" bandwidth="20MHz" configcountry="US " opercountry="US " cfgtxpower=27 opertxpower=3 slctdrmamode="ap" operdrmamode="ap" action="drma-mode" msg="AP FP423E3X17000357 radio 1 DRMA selected mode ap operating mode ap."

date=2020-08-19 time=11:05:20 logid="0104043696" type="event" subtype="wireless" level="notice" vd="root" eventtime=1597860320277336047 tz="-0700" logdesc="Physical AP radio DRMA start" sn="FP423E3X17000357" ap="FP423E3X17000357" ip=15.5.5.1 radioid=1 radioband="802.11n,g-only" bandwidth="20MHz" configcountry="US " opercountry="US " cfgtxpower=27 opertxpower=3 slctdrmamode="monitor" operdrmamode="monitor" action="drma-start" msg="AP FP423E3X17000357 radio 1 DRMA started."