Automatic channel selection in wireless local area network (wlan) controller based deployments

A non-transitory computer-readable medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method in a controller automatically selecting Wi-Fi channels for a plurality of access points on a data communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

• managing, with a processor of the controller, the plurality of access points utilizing a set of non-interfering channels on the data communication network, wherein a lack of interference exists between the set of non-interfering channels;
• receiving scan results from each of the plurality of access points, with a network interface of the controller, the scan results comprising a list of neighboring access points from the plurality of access points relative to each access point;
• responsive to a number of the plurality of access points exceeding a number of non-interfering channels, assigning, with a processor of the controller, each of the plurality of access points to a non-interfering channel with sharing of at least one of the non-interfering channels, using a GCA (Graph Coloring Algorithm) in which each color assignment corresponds to a non-interfering channel assignment in order to prevent neighboring access points from sharing a non-interfering channel, wherein GCA comprises the following steps:
• assigning a first access point to a first channel;
• determining if the first channel is already assigned to a second access point;
• responsive to a determination that the first channel is already assigned to the second access point, assigning the second access point to a new channel;
• responsive to a determination that the first channel is not assigned to the second access point, assigning the second access point to the first channel;
• and
• sending, with the network interface, the channel assignments to the plurality of access points.