Proximity boot control using light-based communications

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

maintaining information associated with at least one device, wherein the maintained information identifies (i) at least one designated location for the at least one device and (ii) a plurality of logical segments of a light-based network, each logical segment corresponding to a different set of light characteristics, wherein the plurality of logical segments is implemented at least in part by splitting the light emitted by one or more light sources into a plurality of wavelength ranges and assigning a respective one of the wavelength ranges to each logical segment;

obtaining, as part of a network authentication process performed after initialization of firmware on the at least one device, a request from the at least one device to execute a boot loader to complete a boot process, wherein the request is transmitted by the at least one device using light emitted by the one or more light sources associated with the light-based network;

identifying a current location of the at least one device based at least in part on the logical segment of the light-based network used by the at least one device to transmit the request; and

determining whether to allow the at least one device to execute the boot loader to complete the boot process based at least in part on the maintained information and the current location;

wherein the method is performed by at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the set of light characteristics for a given one of the plurality of logical segments comprises at least one of: a wavelength, a frequency, an intensity, and a polarization of the light.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the set of light characteristics for at least one of the plurality of logical segments is implemented at least in part using one or more optical filters.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the maintained information comprises:

mappings between given ones of the plurality of logical segments and respective ones of a plurality of devices.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the request comprises a digital key associated with an access point of the light-based network, and wherein the network authentication process with the at least one device comprises validating the digital key.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether to allow the at least one device to execute the boot loader to complete the boot process is based on a comparison of the maintained information and the current location.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

preventing the at least one device from performing at least one of: completing the boot process and one or more operational tasks based on the result of the determining.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one device comprises an edge device in an edge computing environment.

9 . A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored therein program code of one or more software programs, wherein the program code when executed by at least one processing device causes the at least one processing device:

to maintain information associated with at least one device, wherein the maintained information identifies (i) at least one designated location for the at least one device and (ii) a plurality of logical segments of a light-based network, each logical segment corresponding to a different set of light characteristics, wherein the plurality of logical segments is implemented at least in part by splitting the light emitted by one or more light sources into a plurality of wavelength ranges and assigning a respective one of the wavelength ranges to each logical segment;

to obtain, as part of a network authentication process performed after initialization of firmware on the at least one device, a request from the at least one device to execute a boot loader to complete a boot process, wherein the request is transmitted by the at least one device using light emitted by one or more light sources associated with the light-based network;

to identify a current location of the at least one device based at least in part on the logical segment of the light-based network used by the at least one device to transmit the request; and

to determine whether to allow the at least one device to execute the boot loader to complete the boot process based at least in part on the maintained information and the current location.

10 . The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the set of light characteristics for a given one of the plurality of logical segments comprises at least one of: a wavelength, a frequency, an intensity, and a polarization of the light.

11 . The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the set of light characteristics for at least one of the plurality of logical segments is implemented at least in part using one or more optical filters.

12 . An apparatus comprising:

at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory;

the at least one processing device being configured: to maintain information associated with at least one device, wherein the maintained information identifies (i) at least one designated location for the at least one device and (ii) a plurality of logical segments of a light-based network, each logical segment corresponding to a different set of light characteristics, wherein the plurality of logical segments is implemented at least in part by splitting the light emitted by one or more light sources into a plurality of wavelength ranges and assigning a respective one of the wavelength ranges to each logical segment;

to obtain, as part of a network authentication process performed after initialization of firmware on the at least one device, a request from the at least one device to execute a boot loader to complete a boot process, wherein the request is transmitted by the at least one device using light emitted by the one or more light sources associated with the light-based network;

to identify a current location of the at least one device based at least in part on the logical segment of the light-based network used by the at least one device to transmit the request; and

to determine whether to allow the at least one device to execute the boot loader to complete the boot process based at least in part on the maintained information and the current location.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the set of light characteristics for a given one of the plurality of logical segments comprises at least one of: a wavelength, a frequency, an intensity, and a polarization of the light.

14 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the set of light characteristics for at least one of the plurality of logical segments is implemented at least in part using one or more optical filters.

15 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the maintained information comprises:

mappings between given ones of the plurality of logical segments and respective ones of a plurality of devices.

16 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the request comprises a digital key associated with an access point of the light-based network, and wherein the network authentication process with the at least one device comprises validating the digital key.

17 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the determining whether to allow the at least one device to execute the boot loader to complete the boot process is based on a comparison of the maintained information and the current location.

18 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processing device is further configured:

to prevent the at least one device from performing at least one of: completing the boot process and one or more operational tasks based on the result of the determining.

19 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein at least one access point of the light-based network includes an optical filter configured to selectively transmit and/or reject one or more wavelengths, wherein the optical filter splits a light spectrum into the plurality of wavelength ranges assigned to the plurality of logical segments.

20 . The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein at least one access point of the light-based network includes an optical filter configured to selectively transmit and/or reject one or more wavelengths, wherein the optical filter splits a light spectrum into the plurality of wavelength ranges assigned to the plurality of logical segments.