Edge Device Serviceability via Reachable-Node Debug Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for managing edge devices in an edge estate face challenges such as tedious and cumbersome troubleshooting due to unreachable devices, lack of secure connectivity, and difficulty in obtaining failure details, necessitating a framework for seamless troubleshooting, automated diagnostics, and intelligent serviceability.
Innovation Solution
A framework that enables Layer 2 communication between reachable and unreachable edge devices, uses a NativeEdge management protocol for discovery, provides automated diagnostic capabilities, and facilitates intelligent serviceability to address issues during secure onboarding, provisioning, and application deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional management methods are used for edge devices, then device management is simpler, but troubleshooting support and serviceability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an orchestrator as an intermediary component that mediates between the management system and edge devices. The orchestrator enables intelligent serviceability by coordinating troubleshooting activities, managing device interactions, and providing centralized control without requiring direct complex interactions between management systems and individual edge devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The management framework is segmented into distinct functional components including the orchestrator, diagnostic agents, and communication protocols. This segmentation allows each component to handle specific aspects of device management and troubleshooting independently, improving ease of operation while maintaining overall system coherence.
2Productivity
If automated diagnostic capabilities are implemented, then troubleshooting efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service capabilities through automated diagnostic agents that can independently detect, analyze, and resolve issues on edge devices. These agents perform self-diagnosis and self-repair functions, improving troubleshooting efficiency without requiring constant human intervention or complex centralized diagnostic systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary diagnostic actions by deploying diagnostic agents on edge devices before failures occur. These agents continuously monitor device health, detect potential issues early, and prepare resolution strategies in advance, thereby improving troubleshooting efficiency while keeping the active diagnostic system relatively simple.
3Reliability
If secure connectivity is established for all edge devices, then serviceability is improved, but connectivity complexity and difficulty of reaching devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal communication protocol that handles multiple functions including secure authentication, encrypted data transmission, device identification, and troubleshooting commands within a single framework. This multi-functional protocol improves reliable secure connectivity while reducing the complexity that would arise from implementing separate protocols for each function.
4Ease of operation
If Layer 2 communication is enabled between reachable and unreachable devices, then serviceability of non-accessible devices is improved, but communication complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses reachable edge devices as intermediary nodes to communicate with unreachable devices through Layer 2 networking. The orchestrator coordinates this indirect communication by routing messages through available devices, enabling serviceability of unreachable devices without requiring direct connectivity or complex point-to-point communication protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for managing edge devices (EDs) includes: identifying, based on connectivity of each ED, a set of accessible EDs and a set of non-accessible EDs in an edge estate (EE); determining, based on the identifying, that a first ED in the EE is accessible and a second ED in the EE is non-accessible; sending, based on the determining, a device debug request related to the second ED to the first ED; receiving, in response to the device debug request, metadata associated with the second ED from the first ED; analyzing the metadata to generate a set of solutions to resolve the issue; providing the issue and set of solutions to a user to notify the user about a status of the second ED; after the providing: receiving, from the user, a selected solution to be applied on a computing device; applying the selected solution on the computing device.