Access Point Grouping for Seamless Client Handoff During Upgrades
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Solution Overview
Problem
During access point upgrades, client devices experience network connectivity loss as access points are taken offline, leading to reduced network availability and increased downtime.
Innovation Solution
Access points are grouped into multiple groups, allowing client devices to associate with access points from different groups, enabling seamless handoff during upgrades, thereby maintaining connectivity and staggering the upgrade process across groups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If access points are upgraded sequentially, then firmware updates are completed successfully, but client devices experience connectivity loss and network downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The access point network is divided into multiple groups, allowing firmware upgrades to be applied to one group at a time while other groups remain operational. This segmentation enables continuous network service during upgrades by isolating the upgrade process to specific segments rather than requiring complete network shutdown.
Solution Approach 2:
Client devices are pre-configured with roaming capabilities to automatically switch between access point groups. The system prepares alternative access points in advance, so when a group is taken offline for upgrading, clients can seamlessly transition to another group without experiencing connectivity interruption.
2Stability of the object's composition
If all access points are upgraded simultaneously, then firmware consistency is achieved, but complete network outage occurs and client connectivity is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The access point infrastructure is segmented into multiple independently upgradable groups. Each group can be upgraded separately while others maintain operation, achieving firmware consistency progressively across the network rather than requiring simultaneous updates that would cause complete outage.
Solution Approach 2:
The network maintains continuous operational capability during firmware upgrades by ensuring at least one access point group remains active. This continuity of useful action guarantees that network services persist throughout the upgrade process, preventing complete unavailability.
3Reliability
If access points are upgraded one at a time, then network availability is maintained, but upgrade time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Access points are organized into parallel upgradable groups, allowing multiple upgrades to proceed concurrently rather than strictly sequentially. This segmentation enables accelerated upgrade throughput while maintaining network availability through the use of multiple active groups during the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The upgrade process follows a periodic pattern where groups are systematically cycled through upgrade phases in a coordinated manner. This periodic action allows efficient resource utilization and parallel processing of upgrades across groups, improving overall upgrade speed while maintaining continuous network operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes obtaining client information from a set of access points. The client information indicates client devices detected by each access point in the set of access points. In some implementations, the method includes grouping the set of access points into a plurality of access point groups based on the client information. The grouping allows each client device to associate with an access point from at least two different access point groups. The method includes, for a first access point group of the plurality of access point groups, migrating the client devices associated with access points in the first access point group to access points in a second access point group of the plurality of access point groups. In some implementations, the method includes configuring the access points in the first access point group while maintaining configuration of the access points in the second access point group.