Network Service Discovery via Centralized Mediator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Network service discovery (NSD) in networks often leads to flooding due to multicast packet exchange, particularly in architectures without a WLAN controller, resulting in reduced data rates and increased interference.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based network manager receives service advertisements from network devices, determines neighbor network devices based on RF data and policies, and shares these records to enable local service discovery, reducing the need for multicast traffic and flooding by allowing neighbor network devices to serve service discovery requests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multicast packet exchange is used for service discovery, then service discovery capability is improved, but network flooding and interference increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a WLAN controller as an intermediary device that receives service discovery requests from client devices and forwards them to appropriate access points. This mediator eliminates the need for client devices to send multicast packets across the entire network, thereby preventing network flooding while maintaining service discovery functionality. The controller acts as a central coordination point that manages service discovery traffic efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a service advertisement database that stores copies of service information from multiple access points. When a service discovery request is received, the controller can retrieve service information from this database rather than requiring live multicast exchanges. This copying mechanism allows service discovery to occur without generating additional network traffic, as the information is already cached and readily available.
2Loss of information
If multicast service discovery requests are sent across the network, then service discovery completeness is improved, but data rates are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a mechanism where access points pre-populate a service advertisement database with service information before service discovery requests are generated. This preliminary action ensures that when a discovery request occurs, the information is already available locally at the controller, eliminating the need for time-consuming multicast exchanges and maintaining high data rates while ensuring complete service information is provided.
Solution Approach 2:
The WLAN controller serves as an intermediary that consolidates service information from multiple access points and makes it available to client devices through unicast communications. This approach maintains service discovery completeness by gathering information from all relevant access points while avoiding the data rate degradation caused by widespread multicast traffic, as the controller handles information aggregation centrally.
3Ease of operation
If service discovery uses broadcast/multicast traffic, then service accessibility is improved, but network interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The WLAN controller acts as a mediator that receives service discovery requests and retrieves service information from the service advertisement database. This intermediary approach maintains service accessibility by ensuring all client devices can obtain service information, while eliminating the need for broadcast/multicast traffic that causes network interference. The controller handles all service discovery communications centrally through controlled unicast exchanges.
Solution Approach 2:
The service advertisement database stores copies of service information that can be retrieved and distributed to multiple client devices without generating additional network interference. Each client device receives a copy of the relevant service information through unicast communication from the controller, ensuring service accessibility while avoiding the interference problems associated with repeated broadcast/multicast transmissions across the network.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples described herein provide network service discovery in a network. Examples herein include receiving, from a network device in the network, a set of records corresponding to a set of service advertisements indicative of capabilities of services hosted by respective host devices connected to the network device. Examples herein include determining, a set of neighbor network devices corresponding to the network device, based on radio frequency (RF) data in the network and a predefined set of policies associated with each of the set of records. Examples herein further include sending the set of records to the set of the neighbor network devices, where each of the set of neighbor network devices is to serve service discovery requests based on the set of records.