Zero touch provisioning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9325575-B2
Application number	US-201313829065-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Oct 31, 2012
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method comprises automatically uploading device information from a first network device in a first operating state to a second network device in response to an event, such as an initial power up. The second network device is part of the cloud, and thus, providing cloud-based services. Subsequent to the uploading of the device information, the first network device receives information controlling the operation of the first network device based on the device information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
in response to a first event, automatically uploading device information from a first network device in a first operating state to a second network device providing a cloud-based service, wherein the first network device being assigned to rules utilized by network devices operating in a first operating mode;
receiving, by the first network device, information controlling the operation of the first network device based on the device information;
wherein the device information is provisioning information comprising at least two of (1) a Media Access Control (MAC) address for the first network device, (2) a serial number for the first network device, and (3) storage location information subsequently used to obtain first configuration setting information that controls operability of the first network device;
resetting the first network device into the first operating state upon the first network device being re-assigned to rules utilized by network devices operating in the second operating mode;
in response to a second event subsequent to the first event, automatically uploading, by the first network device, the device information to obtain second provisioning information different than the first provisioning information, the second provisioning information being subsequently used to obtain second configuration setting information different from the first configuration setting information used to place the first network device in a second operating mode being different than the first operating mode; and
placing the first network device into the second operating state upon receiving the configuration setting information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first event includes performing an initial power up placing the first network device in the first operating state and connecting to a network associated with the second network device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration setting information includes at least two of (i) information associated with a security policy for the first network device, (ii) a Service Set Identifier (SSID), (iii) one or more transmit power levels to be utilized by the first network device, and (iv) one or more wireless channels to be utilized by the first network device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration setting information is obtained by the first network device (i) using at least a portion of the provisioning information received from the second network device to establish communications with a third network device, (ii) providing information identifying the first network device, and (iii) receiving the configuration setting information based on the information identifying the first network device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second network device is different from the third network device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network device in the first operating mode operates as a controller-based network device and the first network device in the second operating mode operates as a controller-less network device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network device in the second operating mode operates as a controller-based network device and the first network device in the first operating mode operates as a controller-less network device.

8. A non-transitory storage medium including software that, when executed by one or more hardware processors implemented within a first network device, performs operations comprising:
in response to a first event, automatically uploading device information to a second network device providing a cloud-based service, the first network device being assigned to rules utilized by network devices operating in a first operating mode;
receiving, by the first network device, information controlling the operation of the first network device based on the device information, wherein the device information is provisioning information subsequently used to obtain configuration setting information that controls operability of the first network device;
resetting the first network device into the first operating state upon the first network device being re-assigned to rules utilized by network devices operating in a second operating mode; and
in response to a second event subsequent to the first event, automatically uploading, by the first network device, the device information to obtain second provisioning information different than the provisioning information, the second provisioning information being subsequently used to obtain second configuration setting information different from the configuration setting information to place the first network device in the second operating mode being different than the first operating mode.

9. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the first event includes performing an initial power up of the first network device placed in the first operating state and connecting to a network to which the second network device is communicatively coupled.

10. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the provisioning information comprises at least one of (1) a Media Access Control (MAC) address for the first network device, (2) a serial number for the first network device, and (3) storage location information.

11. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the configuration setting information includes one or more of (i) information associated with a security policy for the first network device, (ii) a Service Set Identifier (SSID), (iii) one or more transmit power levels to be utilized by the first network device, and (iv) one or more wireless channels to be utilized by the first network device.

12. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the configuration setting information is obtained by the first network device (i) using at least a portion of the provisioning information received from the second network device to establish communications with a third network device, (ii) providing information identifying the first network device, and (iii) receiving the configuration setting information based on the information identifying the first network device.

13. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the second network device is different from the third network device.

14. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the software that, when executed by the one or more hardware processors implemented within the first network device, further performs an operation comprising:
placing the first network device into a second operating state upon receiving the configuration setting information.

15. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the second network device is different from the third network device.

16. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the first network device in the first operating mode operates as a controller-based network device and the first network device in the second operating mode operates as a controller-less network device.

Assignees

• Aruba Networks Inc

Inventors

• Gray Gordon Paul
• Burke Anthony
• Munro David
• Liu Yan

Classifications

• H04M1/72412

  using two-way short-range wireless interfaces · CPC title

• H04M1/72409

  by interfacing with external accessories (hands-free H04M1/60) · CPC title

• H04L41/0806 Primary

  for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play · CPC title

• H04L12/24

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L41/0846

  based on copy from other elements · CPC title