CENTRALIZED MANAGEMENT OF ACCESS POINTS

• US 20150009901A1
• Filed: 07/03/2013
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fortinet Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fortinet Inc.
• Inventors: Gorajala Chandra, Sekhar Sumanth, Thangaraj, Selvam
• Granted Patent: US 9,331,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for centralized access, control, and management of access points (AP) in a network architecture to facilitate easy and efficient maintenance and monitoring of access points, for example. Systems and methods are also provided for assigning unique identifiers to one or more access points, and use the identifiers through an interface, such as a command line interface (CLI) of an access controller (AC), to manage and monitor the one or more access points through their respective interfaces. System of the present disclosure further enables transitioning from CLI of a first access point to CLI of a second access point without going through AC.

Claims

1. A controller for managing a plurality of access points (APs) comprising:

one or more processors;

a communication interface device;

one or more internal data storage devices operatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing;

an AP identifier module configured to assign a unique identifier to each of the plurality of APs, wherein the unique identifier is not an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the AP;

an AP interface module configured to present an interface to a user through which commands are provided by the user and to access a first AP of the plurality of APs responsive to a command received from the user and based upon the first AP'"'"'s assigned unique identifier; and

an AP management module configured to manage the first AP.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a command line interface (CLI).

3. The controller of claim 2, wherein the access to the first AP enables an AP CLI of the first AP and displays the first AP CLI prompt to the user, based on which said user may issue commands to the first AP.

4. The controller of claim 3, wherein the AP CLI of the first AP further permits access to a second AP of the plurality of APs, wherein the access to the second AP enables AP CLI of the second AP and displays the second AP CLI prompt to the user, based on which the user may issue commands to the second AP.

5. The controller of claim 4, wherein the AP CLI of the first AP enables access back to said controller.

6. The controller of claim 1, wherein said interface comprises a graphical user interface.

7. The controller of claim 1, wherein said layout comprises a tree layout, mesh layout, star layout, and ring layout.

8. The controller of claim 1, wherein said controller further comprises an access point reporting module configured to report findings from said first AP to said controller.

9. The controller of claim 1, wherein said controller is connected to said plurality of APs through one or more of wired connection and wireless connection.

10. The controller of claim 1, wherein said controller establishes connection with one or more of said plurality of APs through one or more of CAPWAP, telnet, and SSH.

11. A method for managing a plurality of access points (APs) comprising:

assigning a unique identifier to each of the plurality of APs, wherein the unique identifier is not an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the AP;

presenting an interface to a user through which commands are provided by the user and to access a first AP of the plurality of APs responsive to a command received from the user and based upon the first AP'"'"'s assigned unique identifier; and

managing the first AP.

12. The method of claim 12, wherein said interface comprises a command line interface (CLI).

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the access to the first AP enables an AP CLI of the first AP and displays the first AP CLI prompt to the user, based on which said user may issue commands to the first AP.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the AP CLI of the first AP further permits access to a second AP of the plurality of APs, wherein the access to the second AP enables AP CLI of the second AP and displays the second AP CLI prompt to the user, based on which the user may issue commands to the second AP.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said interface comprises a graphical user interface.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said layout comprises a tree layout, mesh layout, star layout, and ring layout.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said controller is connected to said plurality of APs through one or more of wired connection and wireless connection.

15. The method of claim 15, wherein the AP CLI of the first AP enables access back to said controller.