Assigning network device subnets to perform network activities using network device information

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a network management system, a network activity to be performed;

receiving, by the network management system, network device information about network devices in respective network device subnets, each of the network devices being an intermediate device between a plurality of external client devices and a communications network and configured to facilitate communications by the plurality of external client devices access over the communications network;

selecting, by the network management system, a network device subnet of the network device subnets to perform the network activity based on the received network device information;

assigning, by the network management system, the network activity to a first the selected network device subnet;

selecting, by the network management system, a first network device from among the network devices in the selected network device subnet as a primary network device for performing the network activity, wherein the first network device is selected based on a type of the network activity and the network device information of the first network device;

selecting, by the network management system, a second network device from among the network devices in the selected network device subnet as a backup network device for performing the network activity, wherein the second network device is selected based on the type of the network activity and the network device information of the second network device;

determining, by the network management system, whether the primary network device is performing the network activity; and

configuring, by the network management system, the backup network device to perform the network activity in response to determining that the primary network device is not performing the network activity.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network device information includes an amount of available bandwidth, an amount of available memory, and a processor speed of one or more processors for the network devices, and the first and second network devices are selected as the primary and backup network devices, respectively, based on the amount of available bandwidth, the amount of available memory, and the processor speed of the one or more processors.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network device information includes regions at which the network devices are located, and the first and second network devices are selected as the primary and backup network devices, respectively, based on the regions of the network devices.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the regions of the network devices include one or more sites of an enterprise.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second network devices are caused to be coupled to each other through a wireless connection.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising enabling the second network device to determine the failure of the first network device in performing the network activity based on a non-transmission of a status message from the first network device to the second network device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising enabling the second network device to determine non-failure of the first network device in performing the network activity based on a transmission of a status message from the first network device to the second network device.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising causing the first network device to send an execution log to the second network device upon failure of the first network device, such that the second network device determines a step of the network activity to resume based on the execution log.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein enabling the second network device comprises enabling the second network device to determine recovery from failure of the first network device in performing the network activity, and wherein the method further comprises enabling the first network device to resume the network activity upon the recovery from the failure of the first network device.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein enabling the second network device comprises enabling the second network device to determine recovery from failure of the first network device in performing the network activity, and wherein the method further comprises enabling the first network device to function as a backup network device of the second network device upon the recovery from the failure of the first network device.

11. A network management system, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory storing instructions configured to instruct the one or more processors to:

determine a network activity to be performed;

receive network device information about network devices in respective network device subnets, each of the network devices being an intermediate device between a plurality of external client devices and a communications network and configured to facilitate communications by the plurality of external client devices access over the communications network;

select a network device subnet of the network device subnets to perform the network activity based on the received network device information;

assign the network activity to the selected network device subnet;

select a first network device from among the network devices in the first selected network device subnet as a primary network device for performing the network activity, wherein the first network device is selected based on a type of the network activity and the network device information of the first network device;

select a second network device from among the network devices in the first selected network device subnet as a backup network device for performing the network activity, wherein the second network device is selected based on the type of the network activity and the network device information of the second network device;

determine whether the primary network device is performing the network activity; and

configure the backup network device to perform the network activity in response to determining that the primary network device is not performing the network activity.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the network device information includes an amount of available bandwidth, an amount of available memory, and a processor speed of the one or more processors for the network devices, and wherein the memory storing instructions is configured to instruct the one or more processors to select the first and second network devices as the primary and backup network devices, respectively, based on the amount of available bandwidth, the amount of available memory, and the processor speed of the one or more processors.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the network device information includes regions at which the network devices are located, and wherein the memory storing instructions is configured to instruct the one or more processors to cause the first and second network devices to function as the primary and backup network devices, respectively, based on the regions of the network devices.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the regions of the network devices include one or more sites of an enterprise.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the memory storing instructions is configured to instruct the one or more processors to cause the first and second network devices to be coupled to each other through a wireless connection.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the memory storing instructions is configured to instruct the one or more processors to enable the second network device to determine the failure of the first network device based on a non-transmission of a status message from the first network device to the second network device.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the memory storing instructions is configured to instruct the one or more processors to enable the second network device to determine non-failure of the first network device in performing the network activity based on a transmission of a status message from the first network device to the second network device.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the memory storing instructions is configured to instruct the one or more processors to cause the first network device to send an execution log to the second network device upon failure of the first network device, such that the second network device determines a step of the network activity to resume based on the execution log.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein, to enable the second network device, the memory storing instructions is configured to instruct the one or more processors to enable the second network device to determine recovery from failure of the first network device in performing the network activity and to enable the first network device to resume the network activity upon the recovery from the failure of the first network device.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein, to enable the second network device, the memory storing instructions is configured to instruct the one or more processors to enable the second network device to determine recovery from failure of the first network device in performing the network activity and to enable the first network device to function as a backup network device of the second network device upon the recovery from the failure of the first network.

21. A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable device having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a network management system, causes the network management system to perform operations comprising:

determining a network activity to be performed;

receiving network device information about network devices in respective network device subnets, each of the network devices being an intermediate device between a plurality of external client devices and a communications network and configured to facilitate communications by the plurality of external client devices access over the communications network;

selecting a network device subnet of the network device subnets to perform the network activity based on the received network device information;

assigning the network activity to the selected network device subnet;

selecting a first network device from among the network devices in the selected network device subnet as a primary network device for performing the network activity, wherein the first network device is selected based on a type of the network activity and the network device information of the first network device;

selecting a second network device from among the network devices in the selected network device subnet as a backup network device for performing the network activity, wherein the second network device is selected based on the type of the network activity and the network device information of the second network device;

determining whether the primary network device is performing the network activity; and

configuring the backup network device to perform the network activity in response to determining that the primary network device is not performing the network activity.