Cisco Location Protocols

In the final post on the Cisco location tracking solution, I thought it would be helpful to describe the communication protocols used in the system. Cisco's documentation in this area is sketchy and disconnected at best; you really have to piecemeal all the information together from various documents on their website. Luckily for you, I have done that!

• Cisco 2700 Series Location Server API
  Used by the WCS or other 3^rd party location clients to pull information from the legacy 2700 series location appliance. The location appliance may also send northbound notifications to the WCS or 3^rd party location clients using this port. Location server uses SOAP/XML to transport data using either HTTP or HTTPS. Location server uses TCP port 8001 by default, but is configurable.

• Mobility Services Engine (MSE) API
  Used by the WCS or other 3^rd party location clients to pull information from the newer Mobility Services Engine (MSE). The MSE appliance may also send northbound notifications to the WCS or 3^rd party location clients using this port. MSE uses SOAP/XML to transport data inside either HTTP (TCP port 80) or HTTPS (TCP port 443). HTTPS is used by WCS, but HTTP can be enabled for 3^rd party applications. Legacy port 8001 is also supported, but disabled by default.

• Network Mobility Services Protocol (NMSP)
  Used by the location appliance (code version 3.1 and later) and MSE to query location information from the wireless LAN controllers (code version 4.2 and later). NMSP uses TCP port 16,113.

• Location Protocol (LOCP)
  Used by the location appliance (code version 3.0) to query location information from the wireless LAN controllers (code version 4.1). LOCP is replaced by NMSP in location appliance code version 3.1 and WLC code version 4.2. LOCP uses TCP port 16,113.

• SNMP Traps
  Used by the location appliance and MSE to send notifications to WCS or other upstream 3^rd party location clients. SNMP traps use UDP port 162.

• SNMP Management
  Used by the location appliance, MSE, and WCS to poll information from the wireless LAN controllers. Beginning in location appliance code version 3.0 and controller code version 4.1 the location appliance uses LOCP or NMSP to poll tag location information from the controllers instead of SNMP. WCS always uses SNMP to poll management information (and location information when no location appliance is in-use) from controllers. SNMP management uses UDP port 161.
  

There you have it!

Andrew