Controlling client connectivity during access point upgrades

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10827404-B2
Application number	US-201916246408-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2019
Priority date	Sep 22, 2018
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A method includes obtaining client information from a set of access points. The client information indicates client devices detected by each access point in the set of access points. In some implementations, the method includes grouping the set of access points into a plurality of access point groups based on the client information. The grouping allows each client device to associate with an access point from at least two different access point groups. The method includes, for a first access point group of the plurality of access point groups, migrating the client devices associated with access points in the first access point group to access points in a second access point group of the plurality of access point groups. In some implementations, the method includes configuring the access points in the first access point group while maintaining configuration of the access points in the second access point group.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
at a controller including a non-transitory memory and one or more processors coupled with the non-transitory memory:
obtaining client information from access points, the client information indicating client devices detected by each of the access points;
grouping the access points into a plurality of access point groups based on the client information, the grouping causing each of the client devices to be associated with at least two different access point groups, the at least two different access point groups including a first access point group and a second access point group;
migrating one or more of the client devices associated with first access points in the first access point group to second access points in the second access point group; and
configuring the first access points in the first access point group while maintaining a configuration of the second access points in the second access point group.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein,
each of the plurality of access point groups is associated with one of a plurality of colors, and
the grouping of the access points includes assigning one of the plurality of colors to each of the access points.

3. The method of claim 2 ,
wherein,
each of the plurality of colors is associated with a cost, and
the plurality of colors are assigned based on the cost.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the cost is a function of a number of client devices that lose connectivity when an associated one of the access points is being configured.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the migrating of the one or more of the client devices includes:
dissociating the one or more of the client devices from the first access points in the first access point group; and
associating the one or more of the client devices with the second access points in the second access point group.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuring of the access points includes:
installing a configuration update at the first access points in the first access point group and rebooting the first access points in the first access point group; and
maintaining the configuration of the second access points in the second access point group at least until the first access points in the first access point group have rebooted.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting configuration information to the set of access points.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that each access point in the set of access points is to be updated.

9. A controller comprising:
a processor provided configured to execute computer readable instructions; and
a non-transitory memory including the computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to:
obtain client information from access points, the client information indicating client devices detected by each of the access points;
group the access points into a plurality of access point groups based on the client information, the grouping causing each of the client devices to be associated with an access point from at least two different access point groups, the at least two different access point groups including a first access point group and a second access point group;
migrate one or more of the client devices associated with first access points in the first access point group to second access points in the second access point group; and
configure the first access points in the first access point group while maintaining a configuration of the second access points in the second access point group.

10. The controller of claim 9 ,
wherein,
each of the plurality of access point groups is associated with one of a plurality of colors, and
grouping the access points includes assigning one of the plurality of colors to each of the access points.

11. The controller of claim 10 ,
wherein,
each of the plurality of colors is associated with a cost, and
the plurality of colors are assigned based on the cost of the colors.

12. The controller of claim 11 , wherein the cost is a function of a number of client devices that lose connectivity when an associated one of the access points is being configured.

13. The controller of claim 9 , wherein migrating the one or more of the client devices includes:
dissociating the one or more of the client devices from the first access points in the first access point group; and
associating the one or more of the client devices with the second access points in the second access point group.

14. The controller of claim 9 , wherein configuring the access points comprises:
installing a configuration update at the first access points in the first access point group and rebooting the first access points in the first access point group; and
maintaining the configuration of the second access points in the second access point group at least until the first access points in the first access point group have rebooted.

15. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the controller to:
transmit configuration information to the access points.

16. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the controller to:
determine that each of the access points is to be updated.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions that, when executed by a controller, cause the controller to:
obtain client information from access points, the client information indicating client devices detected by each of the access points;
group the access points into a plurality of access point groups based on the client information, the grouping causing each of the client devices to be associated with an access point from at least two different access point groups, the at least two different access point groups including a first access point group and a second access point group;
migrate one or more of the client devices associated with first access points in the first access point group to second access points in the second access point group; and
configure the first access points in the first access point group while maintaining a configuration of the second access points in the second access point group.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 ,
wherein,
each of the plurality of access point groups is associated with one of a plurality of colors, and
the grouping of the set of access points includes assigning one of the plurality of colors to each of the access points.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 ,
wherein,
each of the plurality of colors is associated with a cost, and
the plurality of colors are assigned based on the cost.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the cost is a function of a number of client devices that lose connectivity when an associated one of the access points is being configured.

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Gupta Ram
• Kadur Aditya
• Hendrick Jr Mark
• Chen Bo
• Bhartia Apurv
• Pallas Derrick Lyndon
• Yu chun meng

Classifications

• H04L41/0893

  Assignment of logical groups to network elements · CPC title

• H04L41/082 Primary

  the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality · CPC title

• H04W36/08 Primary

  Reselecting an access point · CPC title

• H04W36/16

  Performing reselection for specific purposes · CPC title

• H04W36/385

  of the core network · CPC title