Utilizing multiple mesh network gateways in a shared access network
A mesh network, operating as a virtual Ethernet switch, includes multiple nodes operating as Mesh Network Gateway Interfaces (mesh NGIs) enabled for communication with one or more shared access networks. Selectively coupling the multiple NGIs to the same shared access network provides redundancy and load balancing aimed at improving the reliability and performance of the network. A first architecture is based on a gateway group, including a plurality of NGIs enabled to communicate with a single shared access network via a designated broadcast server elected from among the NGIs. A second architecture is based on a plurality of (physical) NGIs enabled to communicate with a single shared access network via one or more designated nodes in the shared access network. The designated nodes, or Mesh Servers (MSs), operate as virtual NGIs, and traffic entering or exiting the mesh flows through one of the MSs, thus improving packet broadcast efficiency.
1. A system comprising:
means for identifying a group of nodes operating in a wireless mesh network as a gateway group to communicate with a shared access network, each of the gateway group nodes enabled to access a respective wired link to communicate with the shared access network and a respective wireless link to communicate within the wireless mesh network;
in the gateway group, means for selecting one of the nodes of the gateway group as a designated broadcast server to control entrance of broadcast packets into the wireless mesh network from the shared access network;
in the designated broadcast server, means for forwarding broadcast packets from the shared access network into the wireless mesh network; and
in all the nodes of the gateway group except the designated broadcast server, means for ignoring broadcast packets from the shared access network.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shared access network is a wired network.
3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising in the gateway group, means for communicating control information used by the means for selecting the designated broadcast server.
4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising in the gateway group, means for sharing a common gateway group identifier.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the designated broadcast server is a first designated broadcast server, and further comprising means for selecting another one of the nodes of the gateway group as a second designated broadcast server in response to the wireless mesh network being partitioned into a first wireless mesh partition enabled to communicate with the first designated broadcast server and a second wireless mesh partition enabled to communicate with the second designated broadcast server.
6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising means for selecting yet another one of the nodes of the gateway group as a third designated broadcast server in response to the first and the second wireless mesh partitions reverting to operation as a single mesh.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the third designated broadcast server is distinct from the first and the second designated broadcast servers.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the third designated broadcast server is one of the first and the second designated broadcast servers.
9. The system of claim 5 , further comprising means for selecting yet another one of the nodes of the gateway group as a third designated broadcast server when at a portion of the nodes of the wireless mesh network is enabled for communication with the third designated broadcast server.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the third designated broadcast server is distinct from the first and the second designated broadcast servers.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the third designated broadcast server is one of the first and the second designated broadcast servers.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the gateway group is a first gateway group and the shared access network is a first shared access network; and further comprising
means for identifying another group of nodes operating in the wireless mesh network as a second gateway group to communicate with a second shared access network, each of the another group of nodes enabled to access a respective wired link to communicate with the second shared access network and a respective wireless link to communicate within the wireless mesh network.
13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising in the first gateway group, means for sharing a first common gateway group identifier and in the second gateway group, means for sharing a second common gateway group identifier.
14. A method comprising:
identifying a group of nodes operating in a wireless mesh network as a gateway group to communicate with a shared access network, each of the gateway group nodes enabled to access a respective wired link to communicate with the shared access network and a respective wireless link to communicate within the wireless mesh network;
in the gateway group, selecting one of the nodes of the gateway group as a designated broadcast server to control entrance of broadcast packets into the wireless mesh network from the shared access network;
in the designated broadcast server, forwarding broadcast packets from the shared access network into the wireless mesh network; and
in all the nodes of the gateway group except the designated broadcast server, ignoring broadcast packets from the shared access network.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the shared access network is a wired network.
16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising in the gateway group, communicating control information relating to the selecting of the designated broadcast server.
17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising in the gateway group, sharing a common gateway group identifier.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the designated broadcast server is a first designated broadcast server, and further comprising selecting another one of the nodes of the gateway group as a second designated broadcast server in response to the wireless mesh network being partitioned into a first wireless mesh partition enabled to communicate with the first designated broadcast server and a second wireless mesh partition enabled to communicate with the second designated broadcast server.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising selecting yet another one of the nodes of the gateway group as a third designated broadcast server in response to the first and the second wireless mesh partitions reverting to operation as a single mesh.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the third designated broadcast server is distinct from the first and the second designated broadcast servers.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the third designated broadcast server is one of the first and the second designated broadcast servers.
22. The method of claim 18 , further comprising selecting yet another one of the nodes of the gateway group as a third designated broadcast server when at least a portion of the wireless mesh network is enabled to communicate with the third designated broadcast server.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the third designated broadcast server is distinct from the first and the second designated broadcast servers.
24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the third designated broadcast server is one of the first and the second designated broadcast servers.
25. The method of claim 14 , wherein
the gateway group is a first gateway group and the shared access network is a first shared access network; and further comprising
identifying another group of nodes operating in the wireless mesh network as a second gateway group to communicate with a second shared access network, each of the second group of nodes enabled to access a respective wired link to communicate with the second shared access network and a respective wireless link to communicate within the wireless mesh network.
26. The method of claim 25 , further comprising in the first gateway group, sharing a first common gateway group identifier and in the second gateway group, sharing a second common gateway group identifier.