Systems and methods for jointly optimizing WAN and LAN network communications
View Patent ↗Described are systems and methods for jointly optimizing Wide Area Network (WAN) and Local Area Network (LAN) network communications. In one embodiment, a management device communicatively interfaced with a WAN and a LAN includes a collection module to collect LAN information from the LAN and WAN information from the WAN; an analysis module to jointly analyze the collected WAN information and the collected LAN information to identify an operational condition; and an implementation module to initiate a management event responsive to the operational condition being identified. In one embodiment, the management event includes generating and transmitting a diagnostics report responsive to a fault being identified. The management device may further generate and execute instructions to remedy the diagnosed fault.
1. A management device, comprising:
a Local Area Network (LAN) interface to communicably interface the management device with a LAN;
a Wide Area Network (WAN) interface to communicably interface the management device with a WAN, wherein the WAN is to provide broadband connectivity to the LAN through a Digital Subscription Line (DSL) connection;
a collection logic to collect LAN information from one or more communication layers on the LAN and WAN information from one or more communication layers on the WAN; and
an analysis logic to jointly analyze the collected WAN information and the collected LAN information to identify an operational condition, the operational condition is within the LAN in a different communication layer from the one or more communication layers on the WAN, identified based at least on collected WAN information or within the WAN in a different communication layer from the one or more communication layers on the LAN, identified based at least on collected LAN information.
2. The management device of claim 1 comprises: an implementation logic to initiate a management event responsive to the operational condition being identified.
3. The management device of claim 2 comprises a diagnostics logic to jointly analyze the collected WAN information and the collected LAN information to diagnose a fault within the WAN based at least in part on the LAN information or to diagnose a fault within the LAN based at least in part on the WAN information.
4. The management device of claim 3 , wherein the implementation logic is to initiate a management event responsive to the fault being identified.
5. The management device of claim 1 , wherein the WAN information collected from the WAN comprises information specific to a second communication layer of the WAN, different than a first communication layer of the LAN.
6. The management device of claim 1 , wherein the operational condition identified based on the joint analysis comprises at least one of: network congestion within the WAN; network congestion within the LAN; excess power consumption by communication elements within the LAN; excess power consumption by communication elements within the WAN; bandwidth utilization of the WAN in excess of a maximum threshold; bandwidth availability of the WAN below a minimum threshold; a security breach within the LAN; or a network intrusion within the LAN.
7. The management device of claim 1 , wherein the collection logic is to collect the WAN information and the LAN information from one or more sources including:
a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) modem;
an in-home powerline device;
a Home Phoneline Network Alliance (HPNA) based device;
an in-home coax distribution device;
a G.hn (Global Home Networking Standard) compatible device;
an in-home metering communication device;
an in-home appliance communicatively interfaced with the LAN;
a wireless femtocell base station;
a wireless WiFi compatible base station;
a wireless mobile device repeater;
a wireless mobile device base station;
a set-top box (STB)/set-top unit (STU) customer electronics device;
an Internet Protocol (IP) enabled television;
an IP enabled media player;
an IP enabled gaming console;
an Ethernet gateway;
a computing device connected to the LAN;
an Ethernet connected computer peripheral device;
an Ethernet connected router;
an Ethernet connected wireless bridge;
an Ethernet connected network bridge; or
an Ethernet connected network switch.
8. The management device of claim 1 comprises a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) modem operating as a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) device to communicatively interface a DSL based backhaul provided via the WAN to the LAN.
9. The management device of claim 1 comprises a cable modem operating to communicatively interface a cable network based backhaul provided via the WAN to the LAN.
10. The management device of claim 1 comprises a wireless modem operating to communicatively interface a wireless based backhaul provided via the WAN to the LAN.
11. The management device of claim 1 comprises a powerline modem operating to communicatively interface a powerline based backhaul provided via the WAN to the LAN.
12. The management device of claim 1 comprises an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) operating to communicatively interface a fiber optic based backhaul provided via the WAN to the LAN.
13. The management device of claim 1 comprises a router operating to communicatively interface a WAN connected backhaul to the LAN.
14. The management device of claim 1 comprises a computing device remotely located from a WAN/LAN interface through which a communication channel related to the WAN and the LAN is connected, wherein the computing device is to provide remote monitoring and management functionality for the WAN/LAN interface.
15. A method comprising:
coupling a Local Area Network (LAN) interface to a management device with a LAN;
coupling a Wide Area Network (WAN) interface to the management device with a WAN, wherein the WAN is to provide broadband connectivity to the LAN through a Digital Subscription Line (DSL) connection;
collecting LAN information from one or more communication layers on the LAN and WAN information from one or more communication layers on the WAN; and
analyzing jointly the collected WAN information and the collected LAN information to identify an operational condition, the operational condition is within the LAN in a different communication layer from the one or more communication layers on the WAN identified based at least on collected WAN information or within the WAN in a different communication layer from the one or more communication layers on the LAN identified based at least on collected LAN information.
16. The method of claim 15 comprises diagnosing a fault within the WAN or the LAN based on the operational condition identified.
17. The method of claim 15 comprises initiating a management event responsive to the operational condition being identified.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the WAN information collected from the WAN comprises information specific to a second communication layer of the WAN, different than a first communication layer of the LAN.
19. A non-transitory machine-readable storage media having machine readable instructions that when executed by a processor in a management device, cause the management device to perform a method comprising:
coupling a Local Area Network (LAN) interface to the management device with a LAN;
coupling a Wide Area Network (WAN) interface to the management device with a WAN, wherein the WAN is to provide broadband connectivity to the LAN through a Digital Subscription Line (DSL) connection;
collecting LAN information from one or more communication layers on the LAN and WAN information from one or more communication layers on the WAN; and
analyzing jointly the collected WAN information and the collected LAN information to identify an operational condition, the operational condition is within the LAN in a different communication layer from the one or more communication layers on the WAN identified based at least on collected WAN information or within the WAN in a different communication layer from the one or more communication layers on the LAN identified based at least on collected LAN information.
20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 19 having further machine readable instructions that when executed cause the process to perform an operation which comprises diagnosing a fault within the WAN or the LAN based on the operational condition identified.