WLAN Controller Service Chain Integration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) systems lack integration with service chains, limiting their ability to provide dynamic and efficient management of Quality-of-Service (QoS) and security policies, as well as real-time feedback loops and deeper network control.

Innovation Solution

Enhancing the Wireless Local Area Network Controller (WLC) to function as a layer-2 bridging node and integrating it with layer-3 Internet Protocol (IP) routing, enabling metadata exchange and control triggers for dynamic service insertion and traffic steering, and implementing Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) engines to apply QoS and security policies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If WLAN systems maintain traditional standalone AP architecture, then system simplicity is maintained, but integration with service chains and real-time feedback loops are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice chain integrationVSAvoidsystem architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the WLAN controller with service chain integration capabilities, combining previously separate functions (wireless network control and service chain management) into a unified system. This allows the WLAN controller to directly interact with service functions and implement real-time feedback loops without requiring separate standalone components, thus improving adaptability while managing complexity through integration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The WLAN controller is enhanced to perform multiple functions simultaneously: traditional wireless network management, service chain integration, metadata exchange, and control trigger generation. This multi-functionality allows a single device to handle diverse tasks including QoS policy enforcement, security policy implementation, and traffic steering, thereby improving versatility without proportionally increasing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If WLAN systems lack service chain integration, then system complexity is reduced, but dynamic QoS and security policy management capabilities are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedynamic QoS managementVSAvoidcontroller architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback loops between the WLAN controller and service functions through metadata exchange and control triggers. The controller can send metadata to service functions and receive control triggers in response, enabling real-time adjustments to QoS and security policies based on current network conditions and service requirements, thus improving dynamic policy management capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The WLAN controller acts as an intermediary between the wireless network and service functions, facilitating metadata exchange and control trigger communication. This intermediary role enables the controller to coordinate traffic steering, service function selection, and policy enforcement without requiring direct complex interactions between all network components, managing complexity while improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If Deep Packet Inspection engines are implemented, then security policy enforcement is improved, but processing overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity policy enforcementVSAvoidprocessing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by establishing service chains and configuring service functions in advance based on metadata received from the WLAN controller. Security policies and QoS rules are pre-configured in service functions, allowing them to process traffic efficiently without requiring intensive real-time analysis for every packet, thus reducing processing overhead while maintaining reliable security enforcement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts intensive Deep Packet Inspection processing from the WLAN controller and places it in dedicated service functions. This separation allows the controller to maintain lower processing overhead while service functions handle the computationally intensive security inspection tasks, effectively reducing the processing burden on the main controller while improving security policy enforcement capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20240349119A1Service chain integration with a wireless local area network (WLAN)

Publication Date: 2024.10.17 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

Service chain integration with a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) may be provided. A computing device may send metadata from a wireless network to a Service Function (SF) selected from one of a plurality of SFs. Then the computing device may receive a control trigger from the SF in response to the metadata. The computing device may then perform a service action on the wireless network in response to the control trigger.