Auto provisioning of bulk access points

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9973467-B2
Application number	US-201514809167-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2015
Priority date	Jul 24, 2015
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

Provided are devices, computer-program products, and methods (e.g., methods implemented by a network device), for automatic provisioning of an access point. In some implementations, a network device may receive a request for provisioning information. In some implementations, a group name is determined. In these implementations, the group name may be determined using information provided in the request. In some implementations, provisioning information is selected. In these implementations, selecting the provisioning information includes using the group name. In some implementations, the selected provisioning information is transmitted. In these implementations, provisioning information facilitates self-configuration of un-provisioned network devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a network device, a request for provisioning information;
determining a group name, wherein the group name is determined using information provided in the request;
selecting provisioning information, wherein selecting the provisioning information includes using the group name;
transmitting the selected provisioning information, wherein provisioning information facilitates self-configuration of un-provisioned network devices: and
transmitting re-configuration information, wherein the re-configuration information is based on the group name.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the group name includes extracting the group name from the request.

3. The method of claim, 1 wherein determining the group name includes extracting an Internet Protocol (IP) address from the request, and wherein the group name based on the IP address.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising assigning all IP addresses in a subnet to a group name.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising assigning a range of IP addresses to a group name.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising assigning an IP address to a group name.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein provisioning information includes radiofrequency settings.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein provisioning information includes network identifiers.

9. A network device, comprising:
a processor;
a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by the processor to:
receive a request for provisioning information;
determine a group name, wherein the group name is determined using information provided in the request;
select provisioning information, wherein selecting the provisioning information includes using the group name;
transmit the selected provisioning information, wherein provisioning information facilitates self-configuration of un-provisioned network devices; and
transmit re-configuration information, wherein the re-configuration information is based on the group name.

10. The network device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to determine the group name include instructions executable to extract the group name from the request.

11. The network device of claim 9 , wherein:
the instructions to determine the group name include instructions executable to extract an Internet Protocol (IP) address from the request; and
the group name is based on the IP address.

12. The network device of claim 11 , further comprising instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to assign all IP addresses in a subnet to a group name.

13. The network device of claim 11 , further comprising instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to assign a range of IP addresses to a group name.

14. The network device of claim 11 , further comprising instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to assign an IP address to a group name.

15. The network device of claim 9 , wherein provisioning information includes radiofrequency settings.

16. The network device of claim 9 , wherein provisioning information includes network identifiers.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable medium including instructions executable by a processor to:
receive a request for provisioning information;
determine a group name, wherein the group name is determined using information provided in the request;
select provisioning information, wherein selecting the provisioning information includes using the group name;
transmit the selected provisioning information, wherein provisioning information facilitates self-configuration of un-provisioned network devices; and
transmit re-configuration information, wherein the re-configuration information is based on the group name.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions to determine the group name include instructions executable to extract the group name from the request.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein:
the instructions to determine the group name include instructions executable to extract an Internet Protocol (IP) address from the request; and
the group name is based on the IP address.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19 , further comprising instructions executable by the processor to assign all IP addresses in a subnet to a group name.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19 , further comprising instructions executable by the processor to assign a range of IP addresses to a group name.

22. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19 , further comprising instructions executable by the processor to assign an IP address to a group name.

23. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein provisioning information includes radiofrequency settings.

24. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein provisioning information includes network identifiers.

Assignees

• Aruba Networks Inc

Inventors

• Dhulipala Suresh
• Kannan Venkatesh

Classifications

• H04L41/0806

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

• H04L61/6068

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L61/2015 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L2101/668

  Internet protocol [IP] address subnets · CPC title

• H04L61/5014 Primary

  using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP] · CPC title