Distributed client information database of a wireless network

1. A method of selecting access points of a wireless network as redundant aggregation devices, the access points providing clients with access to the wireless network, comprising:

monitoring, by M access points that are available as redundant aggregation devices, parameters of the access points;

selecting, by the M access points, a plurality of N access points as redundant aggregation devices based upon the monitored access point parameters, wherein each redundant aggregation device is connected to a wired network, and wherein a process of the selecting the redundant aggregation devices is distributed among the M access points, wherein N is greater than two but less than M;

wherein each of the redundant aggregation devices stores redundant client information for access when a client device roams to a new access point;

sensing, by the M access points, when one of the selected N aggregation devices fails;

selecting a replacement access point as a replacement redundant aggregation device based upon the monitored access point parameters, wherein a selection process for selecting the replacement access point is run by access points that are connected to the wired network, and that are not selected as redundant aggregation devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring parameters of the access points comprises monitoring at each access point of the wireless network, at least one of an access point uptime, how recently a database of the access point has been updated, and an access point priority.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the client information parameters include client MAC addresses, client IP address, and client lease times.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the N redundant aggregation devices provide client information to a client information requesting access point.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the client information requesting access point is a new access point of a roaming client.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the client information requesting access point determines an IP address of the client from a MAC address of the client based on the client information stored in the N redundant aggregation devices.

7. A wireless network that includes redundant aggregate devices for maintaining client information parameters of clients associated with a wireless network, comprising:

M access points that are available as redundant aggregation devices of the wireless network, wherein the M access point are operative to monitor aggregation device parameters of the access points;

the M access points of the wireless network further operative to select N of the M access points as redundant aggregation devices, wherein each redundant aggregation device is connected to a wired network, and wherein a process for selecting the N redundant aggregation devices is distributed among the M access points, wherein N is greater than two and less than M; and

wherein each of the redundant aggregation devices stores redundant client information for access when a client device roams to a new access point;

the M access points further operative to sense when one of the selected aggregation devices fails;

access points that are connected to the wired network, and that are not selected as redundant aggregation devices, operative to select a replacement aggregation device as a replacement redundant aggregation device based upon the monitored access point parameter.

8. The wireless network of claim 7 , wherein monitoring the aggregation device parameters comprises monitoring at each gateway of the wireless network, at least one of a gateway uptime, how recently a database of the gateway has been updated, and a gateway priority.

9. The wireless network of claim 7 , wherein the client information parameters include client MAC addresses, client IP address, and client lease times.

10. The wireless network of claim 7 , the redundant aggregation devices provide client information to a client information requesting aggregation device.

11. A method of selecting gateways of a wireless mesh network as redundant aggregate devices comprising:

monitoring, by M gateways, parameters of the gateways, wherein each gateway is connected to a wired network;

selecting, by the M gateways, a plurality of N gateways as redundant aggregation devices based upon the monitored gateway parameters, wherein a process for selecting the N gateways as redundant aggregation devices is distributed among the M gateways of the wireless mesh network, wherein N is greater than two and less than M;

wherein each of the redundant aggregation devices stores redundant client information for access when a client device roams to a new access point;

sensing, by the M gateways, when one of the selected aggregation devices fails;

selecting a replacement gateway as a replacement redundant aggregation device based upon the monitored access point parameters, wherein a selection process for selecting the replacement gateway is run by gateways that are connected to the wired network, and that are not selected as redundant aggregation devices; wherein

the wireless mesh network comprises gateways and downstream wireless access nodes.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein monitoring the gateway parameters comprises monitoring at each gateway of the wireless network, at least one of a gateway uptime, how recently a database of the gateway has been updated, and a gateway priority.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the client information parameters include client MAC addresses, client IP address, and client lease times.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the M redundant aggregation devices provide client information to a client information requesting gateway.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the M redundant aggregation devices provide client information to a client information requesting gateway.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the client information requesting gateway is a new gateway access point of a roaming client, or a gateway of an access point access node.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the client information requesting gateway determines an IP address of the client from a MAC address of the client based on the client information stored in the gateways that were designated as redundant aggregation devices.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein each gateway defines a subnet, and a client information requesting gateway is within a new subnet of a roaming client.