Minimal Synchronized Network Operations for Seamless Roaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Complete synchronization between access controllers in wireless networks is burdensome and complex, leading to inefficiencies in configuring and maintaining network integrity and client security, especially during client roaming between access points managed by different controllers.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a minimally synchronized access controller interaction model, where a master-slave relationship uses secure L2 tunnels for communication, with the master controller maintaining network data and slave controllers maintaining limited session and authentication data, simplifying operations and reducing data transmission overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complete synchronization is implemented between access controllers, then network integrity and client security are maintained, but operational complexity and configuration burden increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the access controller system into a master controller and slave controllers. The master controller maintains complete network state information, while slave controllers maintain only minimal information needed for local operations. This segmentation allows slave controllers to operate independently for basic functions while the master controller provides centralized coordination, thereby maintaining network integrity without requiring complete synchronization between all controllers.
2Reliability
If complete synchronization is implemented between access controllers, then client security is maintained during roaming, but data transmission overhead and processing burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and centralizes the maintenance of complete network state information to the master controller only. Slave controllers extract and maintain only the minimal subset of information necessary for their local operations. When clients roam between access points managed by different controllers, the master controller provides authentication and security services without requiring continuous synchronization of complete data sets between all controllers, thereby reducing data transmission overhead while maintaining client security.
3Ease of operation
If minimally synchronized interaction is implemented, then operational complexity is reduced and data transmission overhead decreases, but coordination between controllers becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a master controller as an intermediary that coordinates between slave controllers. The master controller receives location-aware association requests, determines the appropriate home controller for roaming clients, and provides authentication services. This intermediary role simplifies coordination by providing a centralized point of control that slave controllers can rely on, thereby reducing the complexity of direct peer-to-peer coordination while maintaining operational simplicity at the slave controller level.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for minimal synchronized network operations includes making an initial connection between a client and a network, the initial connection being made through a first access point managed by a home controller, the home controller recording session information and authentication data for the client. A subsequent connection is made between the client and the network through a second access point managed by a second controller, the subsequent connection being made communicating the session information and authentication data between the home controller and the second controller, without client reauthentication, and without disrupting existing communication.