Device steering based on profile and historical behavior
During operation, an access point aggregates communication-performance information and behavior information in a wireless local area network (WLAN) corresponding to an electronic device, where the communication-performance information and the behavior information are aggregated over a time interval that is longer than an instance of a connection or association of the electronic device to the WLAN. Then, the access point provides the communication-performance information and the behavior information to a second electronic device. After receiving information about another instance of a connection or association of the electronic device to the WLAN, the access point provides a request to the second electronic device for historical information about communication performance and behavior of the electronic device in the WLAN. Moreover, after receiving the historical information, the access point selectively provides the transition recommendation in the WLAN to the electronic device, where the transition recommendation is based at least in part on the historical information.
1. A first access point, comprising:
a networking system providing communication in a wireless local area network (WLAN) with at least a first electronic device and a remote, cloud-based controller;
a memory storing computer-readable instructions; and
a processor, coupled to the networking system and the memory, the processor configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to:
aggregate communication-performance and behavior information (CPBI) corresponding to the first electronic device;
provide the CPBI to the remote, cloud-based controller;
receive, via the networking system, information about a connection of the first electronic device to a second access point in the WLAN;
in response to receiving the information, send a request to the remote, cloud-based controller for historical information about the CPBI of at least the first electronic device, the first access point, and the second access point;
receive, from the remote, cloud-based controller via the networking system, the historical information about the CPBI of the first electronic device, the first access point, and the second access point; and
after receiving the historical information, selectively send, to the first electronic device, a transition recommendation that is based on the historical information about the CPBI of the first electronic device, the first access point, and the second access point, wherein the transition recommendation instructs the first electronic device to perform a transition a different access point, a transition to a different channel, a transition to a different wireless network, or any combination thereof.
2. The first access point of claim 1 , wherein the networking system includes interface circuit having local control logic to provide a local controller.
3. The first access point of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic device and the first access point are associaed so that he access point can directly aggregate the CPBI.
4. The fist access point of claim 1 , wherein the CPBI are aggregated over a time interval that is longer than an instance of a connection or association of the first electronic device to the WLAN.
5. The first access point of claim 1 , wherein the transition recommendation instructs the first electronic device to perform at least one of a transition to the second access point, a transition to a different channel, and a transition to a different wireless network.
6. The first access point of claim 1 , wherein the information about the connection of the one of the one or more electronic devices to the one of the one or more access points is provided to the remote, cloud-based controller.
7. The first access point of claim 1 , wherein the information about the connection of the first electronic device to the second access point includes profile information associated with the first electronic device and a previous transition recommendation in the WLAN.
8. The first access point of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to obfuscate at least a portion of the profile information before the profile information is provided.
9. The first access point of claim 7 , wherein the profile information comprises one or more of: a media access control (MAC) address or a client identifier of the first electronic device, a type of the first electronic device, an operating system of the first electronic device, and a version of the operating system.
10. A method for selectively providing a transition recommendation by a first access point, comprising:
aggregating communication-performance and behavior information (CPBI) corresponding to a first electronic device via a networking system that provides communication in a wireless local area network (WLAN) with at least the first electronic device and a remote, cloud-based controller;
providing the CPBI to a remote, cloud-based controller;
receiving, via the networking system, information about a connection of the first electronic device to a second access point in the WLAN;
in response to receiving the information, sending a request to the remote, cloud-based controller for historical information about the CPBI at least the first electronic device, the first access point and the second access point;
receiving, from the remote, cloud-based controller via the networking system, the historical information about the CPBI of the first electronic device the first access point, and the second access point; and
after receiving the historical information, selectively sending, to the first electronic device, a transition recommendation that is based on the historical information about the CPBI of the first electronic device, the first access point, and the second access point, wherein the transition recommendation instructs the first electronic device to perform any of a transition to a different access point, a transition to a different channel, a transition to a different wireless network, or any combination thereof.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the aggregating communication-performance and behavior information (CPBI) corresponding to the first electronic device and the first access point comprises directly aggregating the CPBI.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the selectively providing, to the first electronic device, a transition recommendation further comprises instructing the first electronic device to perform at least one of a transition to the second access point, a transition to a different channel, and a transition to a different wireless network.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein receiving the information associated with the first electronic device includes receiving profile information associated with the first electronic device and a previous transition recommendation in the WLAN.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprises obfuscating at least a portion of the profile information before the profile information is provided.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein receiving the information about the connection of the first electronic device includes receiving one or more of a media access control (MAC) address or a client identifier of the first electronic device, a type of the first electronic device, an operating system of the first electronic device, and a version of the operating system.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for use in conjunction with a first access point, the computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions that, when executed by the first access point, causes the first access point to selectively provide a transition recommendation by performing operations comprising:
aggregating communication-performance and behavior information (CPBI) corresponding to a first electronic device a via a networking system that provides communication in a wireless local area network (WLAN) with at least the first electronic device and a remote, cloud-based controller;
providing the CPBI to the remote, cloud-based controller;
receiving, via the networking system, information about a connection of the first electronic device to a second access point in the WLAN;
in response to receiving the information, send a request to the remote, cloud-based controller for historical information about the CPBI of at least the first electronic device, the first access point, and the second access point;
receiving, from the remote, cloud-based controller via the networking system, the historical information about the CPBI of the first electronic device, the first access point, and the second access point; and
after receiving the historical information, selectively sending, to the first electronic device, a transition recommendation based on the historical information about the CPBI of the first electronic devices, the first access point, and the second access point, wherein the transition recommendation instructs the first electronic device to perform any of a transition to a different access point, a transition to a different channel, a transition to a different wireless network, or any combination thereof.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the aggregating communication-performance and behavior information (CPBI) corresponding to the first electronic device and the first access point comprises directly aggregating the CPBI.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the selectively providing, to the first electronic device, a transition recommendation further comprises instructing the first electronic devices to perform at least one of a transition to the second access point, a transition to a different channel, and a transition to a different wireless network.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein receiving the information about the connection of the first electronic device includes receiving profile information associated with the first electronic device and a previous transition recommendation in the WLAN.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 further comprises obfuscating at least a portion of the profile information before the profile information is provided.