Cloud-Based Mesh Configuration Porting for Remote Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional mesh network deployments require multiple teams and physical handling to configure mesh points, leading to scheduling challenges and costly replacements due to improper configurations, which disrupt client device performance and connectivity.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based authentication and configuration porting process that allows mesh points to be authenticated and configured remotely, eliminating the need for staging locations and enabling seamless recovery without physical replacement, thus maintaining client device performance and connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional mesh network deployment uses staging location and wired network connection for configuration syncing, then mesh points can be configured and synced, but multiple teams and physical handling are required leading to scheduling challenges and increased complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/wired configuration syncing process with a wireless cloud-based authentication and configuration delivery system. Instead of physically connecting mesh points to a wired network at a staging location, the system uses wireless authentication with the portal followed by cloud-based configuration delivery, eliminating the need for physical handling and staged deployment while maintaining configuration accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cloud-based authentication server and configuration server as intermediaries between the mesh points and the network administrator. These intermediaries enable remote authentication and configuration delivery without requiring direct wired connections or physical co-location, thereby simplifying the deployment process while ensuring reliable configuration delivery.
2Reliability
If traditional deployment requires physical connection to wired network for configuration, then configuration can be synced, but mesh points must be moved from staging location to serving locations causing disruption to client devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs authentication and configuration delivery preliminarily through wireless cloud-based processes before the mesh point is physically installed at its serving location. The mesh point authenticates with the portal and receives configuration via the cloud, eliminating the need for post-installation configuration syncing and avoiding client device disruption that would occur with physical movement and reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical process of physically moving mesh points from staging to serving locations with a wireless cloud-based configuration delivery system. This substitution allows configuration to be delivered remotely without physical handling, eliminating deployment time losses and client disruptions associated with traditional staged deployment.
3Reliability
If mesh points are configured at staging location and then moved, then configuration is established, but improper configurations require costly replacements disrupting client device performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical mesh point replacement with a cloud-based configuration re-delivery mechanism. When configuration errors are detected, the system can remotely re-authenticate and re-deliver the correct configuration through the cloud, eliminating the need for costly physical replacements and simplifying error correction while maintaining configuration establishment reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a configuration recovery mechanism where incorrect configurations are discarded and replaced with correct ones delivered through the cloud-based system. This allows the system to recover from configuration errors without discarding (replacing) the physical mesh point hardware, thereby reducing costs and simplifying the correction process.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for performing a cloud-based authentication of a mesh point are described. A mesh point can send out a probe request that includes information indicating that the mesh point has entered a cloud-based porting mode. Upon receiving the probe request, the mesh portal sends an authentication request to a cloud system. The cloud system returns an authentication response indicating whether the mesh point has been authenticated. If successfully authenticated, the cloud system or a device forming part of the mesh deployment such as a virtual controller pushes the mesh configuration to the mesh point. In this manner, a mesh point can be configured with the correct mesh configuration without having to first push the mesh configuration to the mesh point at a common staging location and then physically move the mesh point to its serving location, as is the case in conventional mesh deployments.