Cloud-Based WLAN Access Point Auto-Provisioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The configuration and provisioning of Wi-Fi access points in large-scale wireless local area networks (WLANs) become increasingly cumbersome and time-consuming as the number of access points grows, requiring manual intervention and lacking efficient automated methods for grouping, authenticating, and provisioning across multiple locations.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a system and method that uses cloud-based management to automatically group, authenticate, and provision access points by exchanging neighbor lists and identifying master access points, allowing for automated configuration of access points based on proximity and authentication status, thereby reducing manual effort and improving scalability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual configuration and provisioning methods are used for access points, then configuration accuracy and control can be maintained, but the time and labor required increases significantly as the number of access points grows
Solution Approach 1:
The access point automatically performs self-provisioning by exchanging neighbor lists with neighboring access points, self-identifying its location, and receiving configuration parameters automatically from the cloud-based service without requiring manual administrator intervention. This eliminates the time-consuming manual configuration process while maintaining accurate provisioning through automated authentication and parameter assignment.
2Ease of operation
If manual provisioning is performed for each access point, then configuration control is maintained, but the complexity of management increases with the number of access points and locations
Solution Approach 1:
A cloud-based WLAN-management service acts as an intermediary between access points and administrators. The service receives neighbor list data from access points, automatically determines location and grouping information, authenticates access points, and provisions configuration parameters. This intermediary automates the complex management tasks while maintaining administrative control through the cloud-based platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the provisioning process into automated components: neighbor list exchange between access points, automatic location identification through master access point association, cloud-based authentication, and automated configuration parameter assignment. This segmentation transforms a complex manual process into manageable automated steps that scale with the number of access points.
3Productivity
If automated provisioning is implemented without manual authentication, then provisioning speed increases, but the reliability of access point authentication decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback through the neighbor list exchange mechanism where access points provide information about their neighboring access points to the cloud-based service. The service uses this feedback to automatically determine location, verify authentication credentials, and provision configuration parameters. This feedback loop enables automated provisioning while maintaining authentication reliability through verified neighbor relationships.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for automatically grouping, authenticating, and provisioning access points using cloud-based management of wireless-local-area-network (WLAN) infrastructure. In an embodiment, a given site has a master access point that is manually configured with an organization-and-site-specific master-access-point configuration for providing service in a WLAN. Additional access points installed for operation transmit self-identifying messages to neighboring access points. Each access point compiles information about its neighbor access points in access-point neighbor lists. The access-point neighbor lists are received and used by a cloud-based WLAN-management service to identify the associated master access point and to provision unauthenticated access points using the correct organization-and-site-specific master-access-point configuration.