Geolocation-Based Network Configuration for Zero-Touch Device Onboarding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Network administrators face significant administrative burdens in configuring and managing thousands of network devices across diverse geographical locations, requiring different configurations and policies, especially in wide area networks (WANs) that include IoT and teleworking computing devices.
Innovation Solution
A geolocation-based system and method that utilizes network hierarchy constructs to simplify device onboarding by creating geography-based groups and associating each device with specific configuration intents, enabling zero-touch deployment and inheritance of configuration settings based on geolocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual configuration methods are used for each network device, then configuration accuracy can be ensured, but administrative burden and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses template-based configuration where pre-defined configuration templates are copied and applied to multiple network devices. The system automatically generates device-specific configurations by substituting variables in templates, ensuring consistency and accuracy while dramatically reducing the time required compared to manual configuration of each device individually.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs parameterized configuration templates with variables that can be dynamically changed based on device location, type, and other attributes. By changing parameters within the template structure rather than rewriting entire configurations, the system maintains configuration accuracy while enabling rapid deployment across diverse devices.
2Reliability
If location-specific configurations are implemented for each geographical region, then policy compliance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network management system into location-based groups or regions, where each segment has its own configuration template tailored to local policies and requirements. This segmentation allows policy compliance to be enforced at the regional level while the overall system remains manageable through modular template structures rather than monolithic complex configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration template system serves multiple functions: it enforces location-specific policies, manages device onboarding, and maintains configuration consistency across diverse device types. By making the template system universal and multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate management systems for different purposes, thereby managing complexity while ensuring compliance.
3Productivity
If automated configuration deployment is implemented, then productivity is improved, but configuration errors may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates validation mechanisms that provide feedback during the automated configuration deployment process. The system validates templates before deployment, checks configuration syntax and policy compliance automatically, and can rollback changes if errors are detected. This feedback loop maintains high deployment speed while preventing configuration errors from propagating.
Solution Approach 2:
Configuration templates are prepared and validated in advance before actual device deployment. The system performs preliminary syntax checking, policy validation, and compatibility verification on templates during the design phase, ensuring that automated deployment executes error-free configurations at high speed without requiring complex error handling during deployment.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods provide for creating a network device hierarchy among a plurality of nodes. The network device hierarchy may include a plurality of geography-based groups defined by a corresponding number of geolocations. The operations further include associating each of the plurality of geography-based groups with a plurality of different configuration intents, associating each of the plurality of nodes with one of the plurality of geography-based groups, and deploying the plurality of nodes based on their respective one of the geolocations.