Sensor Backup Connectivity via Self-Provisioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
IT infrastructure sensors face challenges in maintaining reliable connectivity with management systems, particularly when primary connectivity fails, leading to increased operational and capital costs due to unreliable cellular connectivity and the need for manual intervention, which affects user experience and network reliability.
Innovation Solution
Sensors self-provision to available wireless networks using a public-private cryptographic key system for authentication, establishing backup connectivity without manual intervention, allowing them to continue reporting evaluation results without requiring hardware changes or additional network configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cellular connectivity is used as backup for sensors, then connectivity reliability is improved, but operational costs and capital costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor performs self-provisioning by automatically discovering available wireless networks, selecting appropriate networks, and completing authentication without human intervention. This automation eliminates the need for manual cellular SIM provisioning and reduces operational costs while maintaining connectivity reliability through multiple backup options.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor is designed to support multiple wireless communication protocols and network types (cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.), allowing it to adaptively select the most cost-effective available network for backup connectivity rather than relying solely on expensive cellular connections.
2Reliability
If manual intervention is required to restore Internet connectivity, then network security is maintained, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor pre-configures multiple potential backup networks and has authentication credentials ready before primary connectivity fails. When failure occurs, the sensor immediately attempts connection to pre-identified backup networks without requiring manual intervention, thus maintaining both security and high productivity in restoring connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The entire backup connectivity restoration process is automated through self-provisioning, where the sensor independently discovers networks, evaluates them, selects appropriate ones, and establishes connections without human involvement, eliminating downtime while maintaining security protocols.
3Ease of operation
If sensors are remotely managed with minimal user interface, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an authentication server as an intermediary that handles the complex cryptographic verification processes between sensors and network infrastructure. This mediator absorbs the complexity of public-private key authentication, allowing sensors to maintain simple remote management interfaces while still implementing robust security protocols through the intermediary service.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples described herein relate to a method for establishing a backup connectivity between a sensor and a management system. The sensor may be deployed in an IT infrastructure and configured to execute a one or more predetermined evaluations for the IT network and generate corresponding evaluation result. Thereafter, the sensor may determine whether a connection between the sensor and the management system via a primary connectivity is unsuccessful. In response to determining that the connection between the sensor and the management system via the primary connectivity is unsuccessful, the sensor may establish a backup connectivity by successfully connecting to an available wireless network using a security credential received by the sensor upon successful verification of public key information of the sensor via an authentication server. The sensor then transmits the evaluation result to the management system via the backup connectivity.