Method and system for dynamic assignment of wireless LAN access point identity

• US 20070025306A1
• Filed: 08/01/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cox, Brian, Gade, Anuradha, McMurdo, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 7,567,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

In a wireless LAN (WLAN) a method and system for dynamically assigning a configuration identity to a device being connected to the WLAN is provided. An access point (AP) or other device is plugged into a switch port of an Ethernet switch, and discovers its location and the location of a WLAN management module. The device can then request its configuration identity from the WLAN management module by providing its switch and/or port location. When a device in the WLAN needs to be replaced, the method and system enable dynamic assignment of configuration identity for the new device, to ensure that the configuration and identity of the new device matches that of the device it is replacing.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically assigning a configuration identity to a network device, the method comprising:

receiving physical network connection information from a network device;

accessing a device configuration database to identify configuration information that corresponds to the physical network connection information; and

providing at least a portion of the identified configuration information to the network device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the physical network connection information comprises a switch identifier corresponding to a network switch.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the physical network connection information further comprises a port identifier corresponding to a port on the network switch to which the network device is connected.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration information comprises at least one operational parameter.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration information comprises physical location information;

and wherein the method further comprises

computing an operational parameter for the network device based at least in part on the physical location information corresponding to the network device.

6. An apparatus for dynamically assigning a configuration identity to a network device, comprising

a device configuration database including physical network connection information that maps to a plurality of device configuration information sets;

a processor;

a memory;

a network device configuration application, physically stored in the memory, comprising instructions operable to cause the processor and the apparatus to

receive physical network connection information from a network device;

access the device configuration database to identify a device configuration information set that corresponds to the physical network connection information; and

provide at least a portion of the configuration information in the identified configuration information set to the network device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the physical network connection information comprises a switch identifier corresponding to a network switch.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the physical network connection information further comprises a port identifier corresponding to a port on the network switch to which the network device is connected.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the configuration information comprises at least one operational parameter.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the configuration information comprises physical location information;

and wherein the network device configuration application further comprises instructions operable to cause the processor and the apparatus to

compute an operational parameter for the network device based at least in part on the physical location information corresponding to the network device.

11. An apparatus for dynamically assigning a configuration identity to a network device, comprising

means for storing network device configuration information including physical network connection information that maps to a plurality of device configuration information sets;

means for receiving physical network connection information from a network device;

means for accessing the device configuration database to identify-configuration information that corresponds to the physical network connection information; and

means for providing at least a portion of the identified configuration information to the network device.

12. In a network device attached to a network, a method for obtaining dynamic network device identity information, comprising:

discovering physical network connection information;

providing the physical network connection information to a device configuration management module;

receiving configuration information, wherein at least a portion of the configuration information maps to the physical network configuration information.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the physical network connection information comprises a switch identifier corresponding to a network switch.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the physical network connection information further comprises a port identifier corresponding to a port on the network switch to which the network device is connected.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the configuration information comprises at least one operational parameter.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising

discovering the network address of the device configuration management module.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the configuration information comprises location information specific to the network device;

and wherein the method further comprises

computing at least one configuration parameter based on the location information.

18. An apparatus for dynamically obtaining a configuration identity, comprising

a network interface;

a processor;

a memory;

a configuration application, physically stored in the memory, comprising instructions operable to cause the processor and the apparatus to

discover physical network connection information;

provide the physical network connection information to a device configuration management module;

receive configuration information, wherein at least a portion of the configuration information maps to the physical network configuration information.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the physical network connection information comprises a switch identifier corresponding to a network switch.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the physical network connection information further comprises a port identifier corresponding to a port on the network switch to which the network device is connected.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the configuration information comprises at least one operational parameter.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the configuration application further comprises instructions operable to cause the processor and the apparatus to

discover the network address of the device, configuration management module.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the configuration information comprises location information specific to the network device;

and wherein the configuration application further comprises instructions operable to cause the processor and the apparatus to

compute at least one configuration parameter based on the location information.

24. An apparatus for dynamically obtaining a configuration identity, comprising

means for communicating with a network;

means for discovering physical network connection information;

means for providing the physical network connection information to a device configuration management module;

means for receiving configuration information, wherein at least a portion of the configuration information maps to the physical network configuration information.