Auxiliary Virtual Gateway Application for Network Resilience
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Solution Overview
Problem
Virtualized residential gateways require a permanent faultless connection between the physical device and remote software application, which can lead to communication failures, limiting their practical applications and increasing complexity and costs.
Innovation Solution
A method that accommodates an auxiliary virtual gateway application on user devices within the local network, allowing it to take over functionalities when communication with the remote virtual gateway application fails, ensuring network robustness and maintaining simplicity of the gateway device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a virtualized gateway is implemented with a remote software application, then the gateway device can be simplified and costs reduced, but the system becomes vulnerable to communication failures when the data link is unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary virtual gateway application is pre-installed on user devices before any communication failure occurs. When the remote virtual gateway application becomes unavailable, this pre-positioned auxiliary application can immediately take over and provide gateway services locally, eliminating the need for complex fallback mechanisms and maintaining network reliability without increasing gateway device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary virtual gateway application acts as an intermediary between the gateway device and the remote network when the primary remote virtual gateway application is unavailable. It mediates communication by providing local gateway services, allowing the gateway device to continue functioning with simplified hardware while maintaining network connectivity and reliability
2Ease of manufacture
If the gateway device is simplified to reduce costs, then manufacturing and deployment costs decrease, but the device lacks sufficient functionality to operate independently when remote connection fails
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary virtual gateway application provides multi-functionality by serving as both a backup gateway service and a standalone gateway when needed. It can perform multiple roles including remote application backup, local gateway services, and network management, allowing the simplified gateway device to adapt to different operational scenarios without requiring additional hardware or reducing manufacturing simplicity
3Ease of repair
If remote software application is used to provide gateway services, then maintenance and updates can be performed remotely, but the system fails completely when the data link between gateway and remote application is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary virtual gateway application is deployed in advance on user devices as a cushion against potential failures of the remote connection. When the data link is lost or the remote application fails, this pre-positioned auxiliary application provides immediate local backup services, cushioning the impact of failure and ensuring service continuity without compromising the ease of remote maintenance capability
Data Source
AI summary
A system comprises a first network to which at least one user device and a gateway device are connected, which gateway device is also connected to a second network and is configured to cooperate with a virtual gateway application accommodated in the second network. A method of managing the system comprises the step of accommodating an auxiliary virtual gateway application in the at least one user device, which auxiliary virtual gateway application is configured for providing at least some functionalities of the virtual gateway application when communication between the gateway device and the virtual gateway application is lost. Although the virtual gateway application and the auxiliary gateway application may have distinct sets of functionalities, it is preferred that these applications each have DHCP functionality. This allows the auxiliary virtual gateway application to take over DHCP functions when communication with the second network is lost.