IP Library Granted Patent US 9,667,497
Granted Patent B2
US 9,667,497 · App. 14/590,702 · Granted May 30, 2017

Virtual controller group management system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,667,497
App. No.
14/590,702
Filed
Jan 6, 2015
Granted
May 30, 2017
Kind
B2
Examiner
PHAN, MAN U
Art Unit
2475
USPC
370/255
Abstract

An access point information handling system (IHS) group management system includes a group management IHS that is coupled to a plurality of access point IHSs through a network. The group management IHS receives a group request from a first access point IHS, then retrieves group configuration information from the group configuration database using information about the first access point IHS, and uses the group configuration information to determine an access point IHS group. The access point IHS group includes the first access point IHS and at least one second access point IHS. The group management IHS then determines an access point IHS group controller that is one of the first access point IHS and the at least one second access point IHS. The group management IHS then identifies the access point IHS group and the access point IHS group controller to the first access point IHS.

Claims (64)

1. An access point information handling system (IHS) group management system, comprising:

a network;

a plurality of access point IHSs coupled to the network;

a group management IHS that is coupled to the plurality of access point IHSs through the network, wherein the group management IHS includes a group configuration database, and wherein the group management IHS:

receives a group request from a first access point IHS of the plurality of access point IHSs through the network;

retrieves group configuration information from the group configuration database using information about the first access point IHS;

determines an access point IHS group using the group configuration information, wherein the access point IHS group includes the first access point IHS and at least one second access point IHS of the plurality of access point IHSs;

determines an access point IHS group controller that is one of the first access point IHS and the at least one second access point IHS; and

identifies the access point IHS group and the access point IHS group controller to the first access point IHS through the network.

2. The access point IHS group management system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a switch IHS coupled to the group management IHS through the network, wherein the group management IHS:

determines the access point IHS group using the group configuration information, wherein the access point IHS group includes the first access point IHS, the at least one second access point IHS, and the switch IHS.

3. The access point IHS group management system of claim 1 , wherein the information about the first access point IHS that is used to retrieve the group configuration information includes a first media access control (MAC) address for the first access point IHS, and wherein the group configuration information includes a plurality of MAC addresses for access point IHSs that are included in the access point IHS group.

4. The access point IHS group management system of claim 1 , wherein the information about the first access point IHS that is used to retrieve the group configuration information includes at least one non-address characteristic for the first access point IHS, and wherein the group configuration information includes at least one non-address characteristic for access point IHSs that are included in the access point IHS group.

5. The access point IHS group management system of claim 1 , wherein the group management IHS:

determines an access point IHS group controller priority that includes the access point IHS group controller as a primary access point IHS group controller, and at least one secondary access point IHS group controller; and

identifies the access point IHS group controller priority to the first access point IHS through the network.

6. The access point IHS group management system of claim 1 , further comprising:

an administrative IHS coupled to the group management IHS through the network, wherein the group management IHS determines the access point IHS group controller by:

sending an access point IHS group controller designation request to the administrative IHS through the network; and

receiving an access point IHS group controller designation from the administrative IHS through the network.

7. The access point IHS group management system of claim 1 , further comprising:

an administrative IHS coupled to the group management IHS through the network, wherein the group management IHS:

receives the group configuration information from the administrative IHS through the network; and

stores the group configuration information in the group configuration database.

8. An information handling system (IHS), comprising:

a database storing group configuration information;

a network interface coupled to a network;

a processing system coupled to each of the database and the network interface; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to provide a group management engine that:

receives a group request from a first access point IHS through the network using the network interface;

retrieves the group configuration information from the database using information about the first access point IHS;

determines an access point IHS group using the group configuration information, wherein the access point IHS group includes the first access point IHS and at least one second access point IHS that is coupled to the network;

determines an access point IHS group controller that is one of the first access point IHS and the at least one second access point IHS; and

identifies the access point IHS group and the access point IHS group controller to the first access point IHS through the network using the network interface.

9. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the group management engine:

determines the access point IHS group using the group configuration information, wherein the access point IHS group includes the first access point IHS, the at least one second access point IHS, and a switch IHS that is coupled to the network.

10. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the information about the first access point IHS that is used to retrieve the group configuration information includes a first media access control (MAC) address for the first access point IHS, and wherein the group configuration information includes a plurality of MAC addresses for access point IHSs that are included in the access point IHS group.

11. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the information about the first access point IHS that is used to retrieve the group configuration information includes at least one non-address characteristic for the first access point IHS, and wherein the group configuration information includes at least one non-address characteristic for access point IHSs that are included in the access point IHS group.

12. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the group management engine:

determines an access point IHS group controller priority that includes the access point IHS group controller as a primary access point IHS group controller, and at least one secondary access point IHS group controller; and

identifies the access point IHS group controller priority to the first access point IHS through the network using the network interface.

13. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the group management engine determines the access point IHS group controller by:

sending an access point IHS group controller designation request to the administrative IHS through the network using the network interface; and

receiving an access point IHS group controller designation from the administrative IHS through the network using the network interface.

14. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the group management engine:

receives the group configuration information from an administrative IHS through the network using the network interface; and

stores the group configuration information in the database.

15. A method for grouping access point information handling systems (IHSs), comprising:

receiving, by a group management IHS from a first access point IHS through a network, a group request;

retrieving, by the group management IHS from a group configuration database, group configuration information using information about the first access point IHS;

determining, by the group management IHS using the group configuration information, an access point IHS group that includes the first access point IHS and at least one second access point IHS that is coupled to the network;

determining, by the group management IHS, an access point IHS group controller that is one of the first access point IHS and the at least one second access point IHS; and

identifying, by the group management IHS to the first access point IHS through the network, the access point IHS group and the access point IHS group controller.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

determining, by the group management IHS using the group configuration information, the access point IHS group, wherein the access point IHS group includes the first access point IHS, the at least one second access point IHS, and a switch IHS that is coupled to the network.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the information about the first access point IHS that is used to retrieve the group configuration information includes a first media access control (MAC) address for the first access point IHS, and wherein the group configuration information includes a plurality of MAC addresses for access point IHSs that are included in the access point IHS group.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the information about the first access point IHS that is used to retrieve the group configuration information includes at least one non-address characteristic for the first access point IHS, and wherein the group configuration information includes at least one non-address characteristic for access point IHSs that are included in the access point IHS group.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

determining, by the group management IHS, an access point IHS group controller priority that includes the access point IHS group controller as a primary access point IHS group controller, and at least one secondary access point IHS group controller; and

identifying, by the group management IHS to the first access point IHS through the network, the access point IHS group controller priority.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving, by the group management IHS from an administrative IHS through the network, the group configuration information; and

storing, by the group management IHS in the group configuration database, the group configuration information.

Assignments (15)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (045455/0001) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061753/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040136/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061324/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058216/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
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From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
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SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Feb 26, 2015
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