Dynamic grouping and configuration of access points
View Patent ↗A method is described for moving one or more access points between neighboring enterprise networks such that one or more threshold requirements of the networks are met. By reconfiguring access points to move between enterprise networks, the method provides a highly flexible network system that utilizes environmental and/or operational data to dynamically meet the needs of associated client devices and consumers.
1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more hardware processors, causes the one or more hardware processors to:
configure a first set of access points to provide network access to a first set of client devices;
dynamically determine that at least one additional access point, not currently in the first set of access points, is needed to provide network access to the first set of client devices; and
add at least one additional access point to the first set of access points at least by configuring the at least one additional access point to provide network access to the first set of client devices, wherein the at least one additional access point is transferred from a first enterprise network to a second enterprise network that comprises the first set of access points.
2. The medium of claim 1 , wherein to configure the at least one additional access point to provide network access to the first set of client devices, the one or more hardware processors are further to modify at least a portion of a configuration of the at least one access point to match a configuration shared across all access points in the first set of access points providing network access to the first set of client devices.
3. The medium of claim 1 , wherein to dynamically determine that at least one additional access point is needed, the one or more hardware processors are further to determine at runtime that a current number of client devices in the first set of client devices is above a particular threshold or that a current traffic load of at least one of the first set of access points is above a particular threshold.
4. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further to dynamically determine that at least one additional access point is needed based on a schedule identifying a number of client devices or a load associated with client devices to be included in the first set of client devices at a particular time.
5. The medium of claim 1 , wherein to add the at least one additional access point to the first set of access points, the one or more hardware processor are further to remove the at least one additional access point from a second set of access points providing network access to a second set of client devices.
6. The medium of claim 1 , wherein to dynamically determine that at least one additional access point is needed, the one or more hardware processors are further to determine that a received signal strength for one or more signals transmitted between a particular client device in the first set of client devices and a particular access point in the first set of access points is below a particular threshold.
7. The medium of claim 1 , wherein to dynamically determine that at least one additional access point is needed, the one or more hardware processors are further to determine that the additional access point is better suited to provide network access to a particular client device in the first set of client devices than at least one access point in the first set of client devices.
8. The medium of claim 1 , wherein to add the at least one additional access point to the first set of access points, the one or more hardware processors are to configure the at least one additional access point to advertise a same SSID as other access points in the first set of access points.
9. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more hardware processors, causes the one or more hardware processors to:
configure a first set of access points to provide network access to a first set of client devices;
dynamically determine that one or more access points in a first set of access points are not needed to provide network access to the first set of client devices; and
responsive to determining that the one or more access points are not needed, transfer the one or more access points from the first set of access points to a second set of access points to provide network access to a second set of clients.
10. The medium of claim 1 , wherein to dynamically determine that at least one additional access point is needed, the one or more hardware processors are further to determine that network access provided by the first set of access points to the first set of client devices does not meet a service level agreement associated with the first set of client devices.
11. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the first set of client devices comprise client devices physically located within a defined area.
12. The medium of claim 1 , wherein
one or more access points in the first set of access points are to publish parameters characterizing the environment or operation of the one or more access points.
13. The medium of claim 12 , wherein the parameters are published to a master access point in the first set of access points and the master access point dynamically determines that at least one additional access point is needed based on the published parameters.
14. The medium of claim 8 , wherein the at least one additional access point simultaneously advertises the same SSID as other access points in the first set of access points and a same SSID as other access points in a second set of access points.
15. A device comprising:
a hardware processor and a memory on which is stored machine readable instructions that are to cause the hardware processor to:
configure a first set of access points to provide network access to a first set of client devices;
dynamically determine that at least one additional access point, not currently in the first set of access points, is needed to provide network access to the first set of client devices; and
add at least one additional access point to the first set of access points at least by configuring the at least one additional access point to provide network access to the first set of client devices, wherein the at least one additional access point is transferred from a first enterprise network to a second enterprise network that comprises the first set of access points.
16. The device of claim 15 , wherein to configure the at least one additional access point to provide network access to the first set of client devices, the machine readable instructions are further to cause the hardware processor to modify at least a portion of a configuration of the at least one access point to match a configuration shared across all access points in the first set of access points providing network access to the first set of client devices.
17. The device of claim 15 , wherein to dynamically determine that at least one additional access point is needed, the machine readable instructions are further to cause the hardware processor to determine determining at runtime that a current number of client devices in the first set of client devices is above a particular threshold or that a current traffic load of at least one of the first set of access points is above a particular threshold.
18. The device of claim 15 , wherein the machine readable instructions are further to cause the hardware processor to dynamically determine that at least one additional access point is needed based on a schedule identifying a number of client devices or a load associated with client devices to be included in the first set of client devices at a particular time.
19. The device of claim 15 , wherein, to add the at least one additional access point to the first set of access points, the machine readable instructions are further to cause the hardware processor to remove the at least one additional access point from a second set of access points providing network access to a second set of client devices.
20. The device of claim 15 , wherein to dynamically determine that at least one additional access point is needed, the machine readable instructions are further to cause the hardware processor to determine that a received signal strength for one or more signals transmitted between a particular client device in the first set of client devices and a particular access point in the first set of access points is below a particular threshold.
21. The device of claim 15 , wherein to dynamically determine that at least one additional access point is needed, the machine readable instructions are further to cause the hardware processor to determine that the additional access point is better suited to provide network access to a particular client device in the first set of client devices than at least one access point in the first set of client devices.
22. The device of claim 15 , wherein to add the at least one additional access point to the first set of access points, the machine readable instructions are further to cause the hardware processor to configure the at least one additional access point to advertise a same SSID as other access points in the first set of access points.
23. The device of claim 15 , wherein the machine readable instructions are further to cause the hardware processor to:
dynamically determine that one or more access points in the first set of access points are not needed to provide network access to the first set of client devices; and
responsive to determining that the one or more access points are not needed, transfer the one or more access points from the first set of access points to a second set of access points to provide network access to a second set of clients.
24. The device of claim 15 , wherein to dynamically determine that at least one additional access point is needed, the machine readable instructions are further to cause the hardware processor to determine that network access provided by the first set of access points to the first set of client devices does not meet a service level agreement associated with the first set of client devices.
25. The device of claim 15 , wherein the first set of client devices comprises client devices physically located within a defined area.
26. The device of claim 15 , wherein
one or more access points in the first set of access points are to publish parameters characterizing the environment or operation of the one or more access points.
27. The device of claim 26 , wherein the parameters are published to a master access point in the first set of access points and the master access point dynamically determines that at least one additional access point is needed based on the published parameters.
28. The device of claim 22 , wherein the at least one additional access point simultaneously advertises the same SSID as other access points in the first set of access points and a same SSID as other access points in a second set of access points.