Wireless LAN Site Tag Assignment via RF Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual provisioning of site-specific policies for wireless Access Points (APs) in wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) is cumbersome, error-prone, and does not scale well, especially in large, distributed clustering environments where multiple Wireless Local Area Network (WLC) controllers are used across multiple sites.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where APs learn their Radio Resource Management (RRM) neighbors and share this information with the WLC to determine a Radio Frequency (RF) continuity space, allowing the WLC to automatically assign a site tag and provision policies, thereby enabling APs to join the correct WLC and apply uniform policies without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual provisioning of site-specific policies is used for wireless Access Points, then policy configuration can be controlled precisely, but the deployment process becomes cumbersome and does not scale well
Solution Approach 1:
The access point automatically determines its own RF continuity space by analyzing received signal strength indicators from neighbor access devices, and automatically receives site-specific policies based on this determination, eliminating the need for manual provisioning while maintaining precise policy configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures site-specific policies on the wireless controller before the access point needs them. The access point determines its RF continuity space and receives the appropriate policies in advance, enabling rapid deployment without manual intervention at the access point level
2Manufacturing precision
If manual provisioning of site-specific policies is used for wireless Access Points, then policy accuracy can be maintained, but error occurrence increases due to manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The access point autonomously determines its RF continuity space by measuring received signal strength indicators from neighbor access devices and automatically receives the corresponding site-specific policies from the wireless controller, eliminating manual configuration errors while maintaining precise policy assignment
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses received signal strength indicators as feedback to determine RF continuity space boundaries. The access point measures signal strengths from neighbor devices, and this measurement feedback drives the automatic determination of the correct site-specific policy, ensuring accurate and reliable configuration
3Loss of time
If automatic RF continuity space determination is implemented, then deployment time is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless controller performs multiple functions: it manages the discovery process, determines RF continuity spaces, stores site-specific policies, and automatically provisions access points. This multi-functionality consolidates complexity in a central controller rather than distributing it across multiple access points, reducing overall system complexity while enabling rapid deployment
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes the framework for automatic provisioning by having the wireless controller store multiple site-specific policies and configure site tags before access points need them. This preliminary setup enables rapid automatic deployment without requiring complex real-time computations at the access point level
Data Source
AI summary
Provisioning site specific policies in wireless Local Area Networks (LANs) deployments may be provided. First, a master computing device may receive a discovery request and data associated with neighbor access devices learned by a first access device. Then a Radio Frequency (RF) continuity space may be determined based on the received data associated with the neighbor access devices learned by the first access device. Next, a site tag associated with the determined RF continuity space may be determined. Then the site tag associated with the determined RF continuity space may be assigned to the first access device. For the first access device, a worker computing device having the site tag may be selected.