Access Controller Load Balancing in Wireless LANs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load balancing technologies in wireless networks fail to uniformly allocate loads across a global area, leading to overload and imbalance issues, particularly when user equipment (UE) roams, affecting network usage and user experience.
Innovation Solution
A load balancing method and system that includes an access controller receiving load status association information from multiple access points (APs), determining load statuses, and establishing a load balancing connection scheme to redistribute UEs across APs based on connectivity and priority, ensuring balanced bandwidth allocation and maintaining high-priority connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UEs associate to the AP with the strongest signal according to IEEE 802.11k standard, then the connection reliability is improved, but load balancing deteriorates causing some APs to be overloaded while others remain underutilized
Solution Approach 1:
The access controller implements a feedback mechanism by continuously collecting load status information from multiple APs and using this information to dynamically adjust UE association decisions. The controller receives load status association information including bandwidth usage and connectivity information, then determines optimal association schemes that balance load across APs while maintaining reliable connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the association parameters from purely signal-strength-based to a composite metric that includes load status information. The access controller determines load statuses of APs based on collected information and generates association schemes that consider both connectivity quality and current load conditions, thereby achieving load balancing without sacrificing connection reliability.
2Reliability
If APs refuse access requests when in overload status, then the service quality for existing UEs is maintained, but the network utilization deteriorates as fewer UEs can access the network
Solution Approach 1:
The access controller performs preliminary load distribution by determining optimal association schemes before UEs attempt to connect. By pre-calculating association recommendations based on current load statuses and connectivity information, the controller guides UEs to underutilized APs in advance, preventing overload conditions before they occur and maintaining both service quality and network utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The access controller acts as an intermediary between UEs and APs, managing the association process centrally. It collects load status information from all APs, determines optimal association schemes, and provides recommendations to UEs, thereby balancing load distribution across the network while ensuring that UEs are directed to APs that can provide adequate service quality.
3Device complexity
If load balancing is implemented based on number of UEs only, then the simplicity of implementation is maintained, but the accuracy of load status assessment deteriorates ignoring bandwidth consumption variations
Solution Approach 1:
The system enhances the load status assessment by incorporating multiple parameters beyond just UE count. The access controller collects load status association information that includes bandwidth usage metrics and connectivity information, transforming the load assessment from a simple count-based metric to a multi-dimensional evaluation that accurately reflects actual network load conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The access controller implements a universal load assessment mechanism that can handle multiple types of load information (UE count, bandwidth usage, connectivity status) through a unified framework. This multi-functional approach allows the system to accurately assess load status by considering various factors simultaneously while maintaining a relatively simple centralized control architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A load balancing method, an access controller and a load balancing system are provided. The method includes receiving load status association information from a plurality of APs in a wireless local area network, respectively, the load status association information including load information and connectivity information, and the connectivity information being information for indicating one or more UEs that can be connected to an AP corresponding to the load status association information; determining, based on the load status association information, load statuses of the APs, and obtaining, using the load status association information, a load balancing connection scheme for balancing loads of the APs, when the load statuses satisfy a predetermined condition; and determining, based on the load balancing connection scheme, a correspondence relation between a specific UE and one of the plurality of APs to connect a UE and a corresponding AP.