Enterprise Mobility Load Balancing via Virtual Device Offloading
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current enterprise user mobility solutions for circuit-switched or TDM communication devices are limited, as they do not support inter-switch mobility, leading to issues with voice quality and functionality, especially when network resources are insufficient or when users need to access features like abbreviated dial and bridged appearance from remote locations.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves creating a virtual communication device and associated electronic address on a second switch/server, allowing for intra- and inter-switch mobility by maintaining a home station record and home application record, which redirects incoming calls and offloads outgoing call processing, enabling load balancing and maintaining user features across networked switches/servers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If enterprise user mobility is implemented using existing VoIP products, then subscribers can access features at visited stations, but the solution is limited to VoIP stations and not adaptable to circuit-switched or TDM telephones
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal mobility system that supports multiple communication device types (VoIP, circuit-switched, and TDM telephones) through a common architecture. The home/visited station model and profile-based configuration enable a single system to serve diverse device types without requiring device-specific implementations, thus achieving multi-functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mobility server as an intermediary component that mediates between different communication device types and the network infrastructure. This intermediary handles the complexity of supporting multiple device types by providing a unified interface and translation layer, allowing the system to accommodate diverse devices without increasing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If users register at remote sites for mobility, then business continuity is provided, but network resources may be insufficient or IP network components may be down, adversely impacting voice communications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables dynamic parameter changes by allowing users to register at different visited stations based on network conditions and availability. The system can change registration parameters (home/visited station assignments) in real-time, providing business continuity by redirecting users to available resources while avoiding network failures or resource constraints.
3Ease of operation
If inter-switch wired mobility is implemented for circuit-switched or TDM devices, then users can access features at remote locations, but the native subscriber loses association with the remote phone, creating problems with remote access to features
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses profile copying to preserve subscriber-features associations during mobility. When a user registers at a visited station, the system copies the relevant profile information and feature associations from the home station to the visited station context. This copying mechanism ensures that the native subscriber maintains access to their features regardless of which station they are currently using.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, an enterprise network is provided that includes a mobility module 150 associated with a first or second switch/server 100 or 104, respectively. On the second switch/server, the mobility agent manages a pool of mobility user station records 168a-j and creates visitor application records 172a-i associated with a external subscriber communication devices 136a-n. Each visitor application record is associated with a subscriber whose communication device is controlled by the first switch/server 100. In response to a selected stimulus, outgoing call processing for selected communication devices on the first switch/server is moved to the second switch/server 104 by associating, for each such device, a selected record 168 with a corresponding record 172.