David Sudjiman

I was impressed with the presentation of Cisco WCS 6.0 today. The WCS has a lot of enhancements including heaps of configurable reporting and web page presentation. The web page presentation feels like an iGoogle on steroids and fully customizable on what kind of information you want to present. You can even use Google Earth combined with the Location feature.

For this particular web design, I think Cisco just get it right. Compare this WCS 6.0 with Cisco CallManager!

Apart from the presentation upgrade, there are lots of new feature included OfficeExtend that enables you to bring the Cisco AP home and this AP will remotely connect to office thus giving you an encrypted tunnel from the CIsco AP to office.

ClientLink is also a great feature to automatically focus the RF beam to particular area to increase performance.

Complete new features below (taken from Cisco.com)

• Ease of Use Enhancements—The following GUI changes have been made: 1) streamlined workflows and unified tab designs that reduce the number of clicks required to complete operational tasks, 2) consistent cross-links that support quick access to actionable and relevant information, 3) customized displays based on user-defined parameters that support easy filtering, adding, sorting, editing, and removal of displayed information, and 4) breadcrumb trail that retraces the user’s navigation path forward and backward through a variety of WCS screens.
• Monitoring Enhancements—The following areas have been enhanced to simplify WLAN monitoring: 1) users can easily edit tab categories and contents to meet their specific requirements, 2) new floormap tool icons and interface support customization of displayed components and visualization of network status and alarms, 3) network status and alarms summary is now in the left-hand corner of Cisco WCS, 4) Cisco WCS search tool is now at the top of the interface to support simple and advanced searches, and 5) all WLAN campuses, buildings, and floor are hierachically listed in a new collapsible and expandable mapping tree, facilitating quick visualization of network locations.
• Streamlined Configuration Templates—This feature includes the following for the streamlining and simplifying of templates: 1) mouse-over feature that provides a quick description of each template, enabling users to quickly find the template the meets their requirements, 2) quick creation and scheduling of templates through an enhanced user interface, 3) over 60 configuration templates from the Controller Launch Pad (including system, WLAN, security, 802.11a/n, 802.11b/g/n, mesh, management, CLI, and location), 4) one place to see a list of the templates applied to a controller, and 5) access point configuration templates that are quickly customizable for 802.11a/b/g/n lightweight, autonomous (standalone), or mesh access points.
• Enhanced Client Management—Client monitoring has been enhanced to support quicker access to critical client information and tools across the wired and wireless network. CDP information was added to allow visibility to access point details even when the access point is disassociated from the controller. When access points are not associated to any controller, the CDP neighbor information helps to find to which switch the access point is connected. New features include: 1) client details screen with new information and an aggregation of existing information into an easy-to-read format, 2) streamlined access to the client troubleshooting tool and its step-by-step processes from anywhere in WCS, 3) access to client mobility information including how and why a client roamed across the wired and wireless network, and 4) quicker access to common tools from the client monitoring screen.
• Expanded Flexible Reporting—The new Report Launch Pad delivers fully customizable reporting that includes: 1) flexible user-defined report parameters for configuration, scheduling, sending, and saving, 2) mouse-over feature that provides a quick description of each report enabling users to quickly find the report that will meet their requirements prior to running the report, and 3) over 40 customizable reports on topics including access points, clients, controllers, inventory, compliance, guests, mesh, performance, security, and the RF environment.
• Enhanced WCS Licensing—The management of WCS licensing was enhanced.
• Dynamic Interface Template—This feature provides the ability to tie WLANs to unique VLANs.
• Switch Port Tracing Enhancements—This feature provides additional functionality to the switch port tracing that was introduced in release 5.2. It provides additional flexibility when adding switch credential information and enhances rogue access point reports.
• Guest Access Enhancements—The following enhancements were made for guest access: 1) the ability to configure default lifetime greater than one day, 2) the ability to import customized logos on the printed page, 3) the ability to print guest account credentials on a page, 4) enhanced navigation and look and feel, 5) customized print page header, 6) deletion of expired guests, and 7) the option for lobby ambassadors to see all accounts.
• Advanced AP Timers—Some advanced timer configuration for H-REAP and local mode is now available for the controller on WCS.
• WLAN Status Scheduling—This feature provides the ability to enable and disable multiple WLANs at a specified time for one or more wireless LAN controllers.
• Customer Feedback Link—Under the Help Menu is a Submit Feedback selection that allows you to provide input on the product.
• Learning Modules—Several short video clips have been added under the Help Menu to show the process for executing common tasks.
• Maps Ease of Use Enhancements—Some of the ease of use enhancements for maps include the following: 1) customizable views, 2) cloning selected campus, buildings, and floors, 3) search filters to filter campuses, buildings, and floors with specific severities, 4) automatic expansion of Tree View to first level, and 5) short cut icons to perform menu operations.
• OfficeExtend AP—This feature provides the ability to configure and manage wireless teleworker networks by extending the corporate network using a remote wireless access point.
• Client Link—Cisco Aironet 1140 and 1250 series access points support client link, a spatial-filtering mechanism used at a transmitter to improve the received signal power or signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio at an intended receiver (client). Client link uses multiple transmit antennas to focus transmissions in the direction of an 802.11a or 802.11g client, which increases the downlink SNR and the data rate to the client, reduces coverage holes, and enhances overall system performance. Client link works with all existing 802.11a and 802.11g clients.

Source:

Release Notes for Cisco Wireless Control System 6.0.132.0 for Windows or Linux