What happens to an AP when a flex profile name is changed in a site...

On the Cisco Catalyst 9800 IOS XE WLC platform, the tag-based configuration model uses site tags to associate APs with specific profiles including a flex profile and an AP join profile. The site tag is a fundamental binding element — when any component of a site tag is modified, including renaming the flex profile associated with that tag, the WLC treats this as a material configuration change requiring the AP to re-evaluate its operational parameters. Specifically, the AP must disconnect its existing DTLS (Datagram Transport Layer Security) control plane tunnel to the WLC and re-establish it. This DTLS session disconnect and rejoin cycle is equivalent to a full AP rejoin: CAPWAP discovery, DTLS handshake, join request, configuration download, and image verification. Client service is interrupted on the affected AP during this process. Firmware updates (Option A) occur via a separate image download process. Temporary SSID disable (Option B) is not a defined behavior for profile name changes. Switching to a backup controller (Option C) requires AP failover conditions, not configuration changes. Understanding the disruptive nature of site tag modifications is essential for change management in production 9800 deployments. Reference: WLSD Study Guide — Catalyst 9800 Tag-Based Configuration Model, Site Tag Architecture, Flex Profile and AP Join Profile Management.