Ruckus Wireless ZoneDirector 3000, User Manual, Page: 113 / 430

Configuring Self Healing Options
Load Balancing
ZoneDirector 9.8 User Guide, 800-70599-001 Rev B
113
Figure 57. Viewing whether Background Scanning is enabled for an AP
Load Balancing
Enabling load balancing can improve WLAN performance by helping to spread the
client load between nearby access points, so that one AP does not get overloaded
while another sits idle. The load balancing feature can be controlled from within
ZoneDirector’s web interface to balance the number of clients per radio on adjacent
APs. “Adjacent APs” are determined by ZoneDirector at startup by measuring the
RSSI during channel scans. After startup, ZoneDirector uses subsequent scans to
update the list of adjacent radios periodically and when a new AP sends its first scan
report. When an AP leaves, ZoneDirector immediately updates the list of adjacent
radios and refreshes the client limits at each affected AP.
Once ZoneDirector is aware of which APs are adjacent to each other, it begins
managing the client load by sending
desired client limits to the APs. These limits are
“soft values” that can be exceeded in several scenarios, including: (1) when a client’s
signal is so weak that it may not be able to support a link with another AP, and (2)
when a client’s signal is so strong that it really belongs on this AP.
The APs maintain these desired client limits and enforce them once they reach the
limits by withholding probe responses and authentication responses on any radio
that has reached its limit.