Access Port Multi-Switch Adoption for Wireless Failover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless network downtime occurs during switch failures due to the time required for access ports to adopt a redundant switch, resulting in temporary loss of network connectivity and inability to exchange data traffic.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a redundancy architecture where access ports are adopted by multiple wireless switches, with one switch handling control and data traffic and others handling control traffic, allowing seamless failover to another switch in case of link failure, using techniques such as Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) and Wireless Switch Protocol (WISP) to manage traffic and maintain connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If access ports adopt a single redundant switch upon failure, then network connectivity is restored, but network downtime of 20-90 seconds occurs during the adoption process
Solution Approach 1:
The access port pre-establishes adopted relationships with multiple wireless switches (primary and secondary) before any failure occurs. This preliminary action ensures that when a failure happens, the access port can immediately switch to a pre-configured secondary switch without undergoing a time-consuming adoption process, thereby reducing network downtime while maintaining connectivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the adopted state between primary and secondary switches based on real-time operational status. The access port can transition from a static single-adoption model to a dynamic multi-adoption model, where the secondary switch is pre-adopted but not actively used until needed, optimizing both reliability and response time
2Loss of time
If access ports maintain adopted relationship with multiple switches, then failover time is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The redundancy architecture is segmented into distinct functional roles: primary wireless switch for normal operation and secondary wireless switch for backup. This segmentation allows the system to manage complexity by clearly defining the purpose and state of each switch, making the multi-switch adoption process more manageable despite the increased device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The access port acts as an intermediary that manages the adopted relationships with multiple switches. It maintains the adopted state with both primary and secondary switches while controlling which switch is actively used, thereby reducing the complexity burden on the switches themselves and streamlining the failover process
3Reliability
If access port un-adopts failed switch and adopts redundant switch, then connectivity is restored, but data traffic exchange is interrupted during the process
Solution Approach 1:
The access port pre-establishes the adopted relationship with the secondary switch before the primary switch fails. This preliminary adoption ensures that when failover is needed, the data traffic path to the secondary switch is already configured and ready, allowing seamless traffic redirection without interruption, thus maintaining productivity during connectivity restoration
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains the capability to exchange data traffic continuously by keeping the secondary switch in an adopted state with all necessary configurations pre-loaded. This ensures that the useful action of data traffic exchange can continue without interruption during the transition from primary to secondary switch, preventing productivity loss
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, network and techniques for minimizing wireless network downtime associated with a wireless switch failure are disclosed. Access ports are adopted to multiple wireless switches wherein one switch operates to exchange data and control traffic with the access port and remaining switches operate to exchange control traffic with the access port. In the event of a link failure between the wireless switch exchanging data and control traffic with the access port, the access port remains adopted to remaining switches and exchanges data and control traffic with one of the remaining switches.