WO2008010248A1 - Réseau lan sans fil, serveur pour réseau lan sans fil, module de communication pour réseau lan sans fil - Google Patents

Réseau lan sans fil, serveur pour réseau lan sans fil, module de communication pour réseau lan sans fil Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2008010248A1
WO2008010248A1 PCT/IT2006/000555 IT2006000555W WO2008010248A1 WO 2008010248 A1 WO2008010248 A1 WO 2008010248A1 IT 2006000555 W IT2006000555 W IT 2006000555W WO 2008010248 A1 WO2008010248 A1 WO 2008010248A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
configuration
commands
server
access nodes
access
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IT2006/000555
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Nicola De Carne
Angelo Sampietro
Original Assignee
Ip World S.R.L.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ip World S.R.L. filed Critical Ip World S.R.L.
Priority to PCT/IT2006/000555 priority Critical patent/WO2008010248A1/fr
Publication of WO2008010248A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008010248A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/08—Configuration management of networks or network elements
    • H04L41/0803—Configuration setting
    • H04L41/0806—Configuration setting for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/08—Configuration management of networks or network elements
    • H04L41/0803—Configuration setting
    • H04L41/084—Configuration by using pre-existing information, e.g. using templates or copying from other elements
    • H04L41/0843—Configuration by using pre-existing information, e.g. using templates or copying from other elements based on generic templates
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W84/00—Network topologies
    • H04W84/02—Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
    • H04W84/10—Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
    • H04W84/12—WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W88/00—Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices
    • H04W88/08—Access point devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W88/00—Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices
    • H04W88/14—Backbone network devices

Definitions

  • Wireless LAN server for wireless LAN, communication module for wireless LAN
  • the present invention relates, in general, to a wireless
  • LAN Local Area Network
  • the present invention relates to a W-LAN
  • Wireless local area networks are known, in particular W- 1
  • LANs are known that use the IEEE 802.11 Standard to which reference is made for the sake of simplicity from now on.
  • Such networks comprise, typically, one or more access points or access nodes, preferably interconnected to one another, arranged to supply network services or "serve” a plurality of user devices (clients) in a determined area.
  • WLANs At least one of the access points is connected to a network server so as to put the WLAN in communication with other network types, for instance the INTERNET network.
  • a problem common to all the WLANs is that the configuration of the access points of a WLAN, such as by means of:
  • network servers are known arranged to configure remote nodes.
  • network servers use standardised communication protocols, such as the SNMP protocol (Simple Network Management Protocol) .
  • SNMP protocol Simple Network Management Protocol
  • UDP protocol User Datagram Protocol
  • the Applicant has found that the background art, in general in the field of wireless local area networks, and, in particular in the field of WLANs, does not teach tools for remotely configuring the access nodes or access points of the wireless local area network and that the teaching coming from the field of networks in general is not usable for remotely configuring the access nodes of the wireless local area network in a simple and effective way. Disclosure of the Invention
  • the object of the present invention is thus a wireless local area network that does not incur the above-outlined problems of low configuration efficiency and unreliability.
  • the present invention relates also to a method for configuring a wireless local area network as well as to a computer program product loadable in the memory of at least one computer and including software code portions for performing the steps of the method of the invention when the product is run on at least one computer.
  • a computer program product is meant as equivalent to the reference to a computer readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system so as to co-ordinate execution of the method according to the invention.
  • Reference to "at least one computer” is meant to highlight the possibility for the method of the invention to be carried out in a decentralised manner over a plurality of computers. Claims are an integral part of the teaching of the present invention.
  • the wireless local area network comprises a server node arranged to configure a plurality of access nodes by using a communication protocol having a limited number of commands .
  • the communication protocol only comprises commands arranged, respectively, to set up variable lvalues on the single access nodes, to request variable values and to execute real time operations .
  • the network comprises access nodes having gateway functionality and arranged to be directly configured by the server node as well as access nodes having client functionality and arranged to be configured through the access nodes having gateway functionality.
  • Fig. 1 shows a wireless local area network according to present invention
  • Fig. 2 shows a physical diagram of an access node of the network of Fig. 1.
  • a wireless local area network (network) 10 for instance a W-LAN that uses the IEEE 802.11 standard, comprises one or more access nodes of client type (first-type or client access nodes) 12a, configured for supplying, in a known way, access and communication services to a plurality of user devices (clients) 14, a 4 t least one access node of gateway type (second-type or server access nodes) 12b configured both for supplying access and communication services, in a known way, to a plurality of user devices
  • client type first-type or client access nodes
  • gateway type second-type or server access nodes
  • Clients 14, of known type, for instance personal computers or electronic organisers, are configured so as to exchange information with the access nodes, 12a and 12b respectively, by using, for instance, the IPv4 (Internet
  • Protocol Version 4 communication protocol.
  • Server 15 is preferably connected to a wide area network
  • server 15 for instance a personal computer of known type, comprises stored on it a configuration engine (server module or element manager) 51 arranged, as it will be disclosed later on in detail, to configure first-type and second-type access nodes, 12a and 12b respectively, of the network 10 by using a communication protocol (element manager protocol) 53, developed in the design phase of the network, and directed to optimise the local are network 10 configurability.
  • a configuration engine server module or element manager
  • First-type and second-type ⁇ access nodes, 12a and 12b respectively, comprise, for instance, the same hardware and are configurable, by means of program modules develop during the design phase of the network 10, for operating either as first-type access nodes 12a or second-type access nodes 12b, according to the specific configuration requirements of the network 10.
  • the first-type and second-type access nodes comprise a main board 21 (Fig. 1, Fig. 2) arranged for being connected to Internet, for instance a board Routerboard Model 532A by the Company MikroTik with operating system Linux version 2.4 connectable to Internet according to the IPv(? Standard, a first network board 23 arranged to carry out wireless connections according to the IPv6 standard at least to other access nodes, for instance a board Model CM9 by the Company Wistron, and a second network board 25 arranged to carry out wireless connections according to the IPv4 standard to clients 14, for instance a board Model NL2511-MP PLUS by the Company Senao.
  • Network boards, 23 and 25, are connected in a known way to the main board 21 through a BUS 28, for instance a mini-PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) BUS.
  • a mini-PCI Peripheral Component Interconnect
  • access nodes 12a and 12b comprise an agent program module (agent module) 33, developed during the design phase of the network 10 and stored, for instance, on the main board 21, arranged to manage, through the first network board 23 and by using the communication protocol 53, configuration data coming from the server 15.
  • agent module agent program module
  • the second-type access nodes 12b are connected to Internet, for instance by means of a connection cable 19, and comprise a agent-server program module (agent-server module) 31, developed during the design phase of the network 10 and stored, for instance, on the main board 21, arranged to manage configuration data and/or send configuration data, coming through the cable 19 from the server 15, to others first-type access nodes 12a, by means of the first network board 23 and by using the communication protocol 53.
  • the communication protocol (protocol) 53 comprises a limited set of commands and associated messages arranged fort allowing to configure the access nodes of the WLAN.
  • the protocol comprises a limited number of configuration commands to be executed by the access nodes, 12a and/or 12b, for modifying parameters or configuration files present on the access nodes 12a and 12b.
  • the provided configuration commands are:
  • the above described commands allow to execute provisioning, assurance, upgrade and analysis- functions on the singles access nodes of the network 10.
  • commands are transmitted by means of messages, these too being in limited number, written, for instance, according to XML (extensible Markup Language) format; such messages are, for instance, in a standardised form of the type: ⁇ request>
  • - Name contains, in case of GET or SET commands, the name of the file to be set; in case of REALTIME command it contains the command to be executed;
  • - Regexp contains a regular expression to be used for formatting variables present on the access nodes before sending them back to the element manager;
  • - Delimiter indicates a delimiter if the variables are more than one; - Value: contains, in case of SET command, the variable to be written in the file "name", in case of REALTIME command it contains the arguments to be used for starting the command "name"; for instance, in case of SET command, a "value” set to 2 indicates firmware upgrade; a "value” set to 1 indicates a reboot; a "value” set to 3 indicates to repeat the provisioning (i.e. to cancel the configuration file of the agent module 33 and to activate the reboot of the access node, 12a or 12b) ; a "value” set to 4 indicates to carry out a restart of the agent module 33.
  • the protocol as described allows to execute configuration functions such as provisioning, assurance, upgrade* and analysis on the single access nodes of the network 10. For instance the operation of setting up configuration parameters (provisioning) on every single access node, 12a or 12b, provides that, following a specific initiative of the server 15 or a "PROVISIONING" message (request) coming from an access node, 12a or 12b, wherein the request, for instance, is in the form of: ⁇ request>
  • the agent module 33 of the single access node, 12a or 12b following the received message, creates the file indicated in the "name” field and writes therein the text comprised in the "value” field. Moreover the agent module 33 further stores in a file, having for instance the name "main. conf", all the variables and the access type thereto. Obviously, in other embodiments the agent module 33 could store the variables in more than one file according to the provided access type.
  • the agent module 33 responds with a "PROVISIONING OK" message in the form: ⁇ request>
  • the access node will comprise:
  • main.conf a file in which all the names of the variable to be read and/or written are included
  • the configuration tracing operation (assurance) of every single access node, 12a or 12b provides that, following a specific initiative of the server 15, wherein the request, for instance, is in the form: ⁇ request>
  • the agent module 33 responds with a message in which the requested file is included.
  • the configuration upgrade operation (firmware upgrade) of very single access node, 12a or 12b provides that the server 15, after fetching, for instance, a new firmware to be stored on single access nodes, 12a or 12b, sets, by means of a sequence of "SET" type commands, the variables on single access nodes, 12a or 12b, by means of messages of the type: ⁇ request>
  • ⁇ value>2 ⁇ /value> ⁇ /request> forces a reboot of the access* node, 12a or 12b, as in the case of the provisioning operation.
  • the described protocol as easily comprehensible to a technician in the field, further allows to set up in the access nodes, 12a and 12b, by means of SET commands, the public and private keys of the WLAN.
  • MIICWwIB AAKBgQCcTs+YSzZpk ⁇ OOvklWbSDmONFfSQmG/zFWHvPqLRJZ ⁇ ShbkK DKFB3h41f4hFLx6ZkKZE8qe70MvfQrvqFcflNTbq81yUyNgG9y7PX/gZXlwfkCuo DCESIcMhQQR ⁇ irzdthSQkiDPs/FNClHrvMwlAsqELOVsFlGjSesSVZRenQIDAQAB
  • the described protocol 53 though using a limited set of commands and messages, allows to completely configure the network.
  • Table 1 a diagram representative of the levels occupied by the server module 51, the agent-server module 31 and agent module 33, is reported in which, for completeness, an interface module VPN (Virtual Private Network) of known type is also indicated; such a VPN module is provided, in the preferred embodiment, for securing the connections between the server 15 and the access nodes, 12a and 12b.
  • VPN Virtual Private Network
  • the server module 51, the agent-server module 31 and the agent module 33 use, in the preferred embodiment, the TCP protocol (Transmission Control Protocol) as transport protocol and operate in close interaction therewith.
  • TCP protocol Transmission Control Protocol
  • network 10 in respect of configuration operations, is the following.
  • a starting step of parameters set up (provisioning) it is provided tha't the access nodes, 12a or 12b, once powered on, following a verification, carried out by the agent module 33, of the absence of configuration file on the access node, request the server 15, in a first step, through a "PROVISIONING" message of the described type and by using IPv6 addressing format, the transmit the configuration files.
  • the request is carried out by one of the first-type access nodes (client nodes) 12a, such a request is managed by one of the second-type access nodes (gateway node) 12b that, having also gateway functionality, is arranged to transfer the request to the server 15 by using the agent-server module 31.
  • the element manager 51 provides, in a second step, one or more messages including SET commands for the requesting access node, 12a or 12b, by using the protocol 53.
  • the server 15 by using the element manager 51, sends the message or the messages including SET commands (the message) to the requesting access node, 12a or 12b, by using the IPv6 addressing.
  • the gateway nodes 12b receives the message and transfers it to the client node 12a whose address appears in the message, by using the agent- server module 31.
  • the configuration of access nodes, 12a and 12b can be carried out also in absence of a configuration request by the access nodes 12a and/or 12b.
  • the server may also be a client terminal of the Internet network comprising the element manager 51 and the element manager protocol 53.
  • one of the gateway nodes 12b is connected to the Internet network, for instance, by means of the main board 21.
  • the server may also be a terminal directly connected to one of the gateway nodes and comprising the element manager 51 and the element manager protocol 53.
  • Such other embodiments all allow, as easily comprehensible by a technician in the field, to configure all the access nodes of the local network that include an agent module and are reachable by the gateway node.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un réseau local sans fil qui comprend une pluralité de noeuds d'accès (12a, 12b) conçus pour fournir des services de communication à une pluralité de dispositifs de type client (14). Le réseau (10) comprend un noeud de serveur (15, 51) connecté à un des noeuds d'accès (12b) et conçu pour configurer la pluralité de noeuds d'accès (12a, 12b) au moyen d'un protocole de communication (53) qui comprend un nombre limité de commandes. L'invention concerne également un noeud de serveur conçu pour configurer des noeuds d'accès d'un réseau local sans fil (10) et un procédé permettant de configurer un réseau local sans fil.
PCT/IT2006/000555 2006-07-21 2006-07-21 Réseau lan sans fil, serveur pour réseau lan sans fil, module de communication pour réseau lan sans fil WO2008010248A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IT2006/000555 WO2008010248A1 (fr) 2006-07-21 2006-07-21 Réseau lan sans fil, serveur pour réseau lan sans fil, module de communication pour réseau lan sans fil

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IT2006/000555 WO2008010248A1 (fr) 2006-07-21 2006-07-21 Réseau lan sans fil, serveur pour réseau lan sans fil, module de communication pour réseau lan sans fil

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WO2008010248A1 true WO2008010248A1 (fr) 2008-01-24

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITTO20110317A1 (it) * 2011-04-08 2012-10-09 Wi Next S R L Procedimento per gestire una rete di sensori senza fili , e relativo nodo sensore, rete di sensori e prodotto informatico

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030041125A1 (en) * 2001-08-16 2003-02-27 Salomon Kirk C. Internet-deployed wireless system
US20050260996A1 (en) * 2004-05-24 2005-11-24 Groenendaal Joannes G V System and method for automatically configuring a mobile device
US20060114839A1 (en) * 2004-12-01 2006-06-01 Cisco Technology, Inc. Method for securely and automatically configuring access points

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030041125A1 (en) * 2001-08-16 2003-02-27 Salomon Kirk C. Internet-deployed wireless system
US20050260996A1 (en) * 2004-05-24 2005-11-24 Groenendaal Joannes G V System and method for automatically configuring a mobile device
US20060114839A1 (en) * 2004-12-01 2006-06-01 Cisco Technology, Inc. Method for securely and automatically configuring access points

Non-Patent Citations (2)

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Title
CISCO SYSTEMS: "CISCO Aironet 1100 Series Access Point Installation and Configuration Guide", INTERNET CITATION, 1 October 2002 (2002-10-01), XP002381713, Retrieved from the Internet <URL:http://www.cisco.com/application/pdf/en/us/guest/products/ps4612/c200 1/ccmigration_09186a0080101c2a.pdf> [retrieved on 20060517] *
GEORGE LAPIOTIS: "A Policy-based Approach to Wireless LAN Security Management", IEEE, 1 January 2005 (2005-01-01), http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/10589/33466/01588312.pdf?isnumber=&arnumber=1588312, pages I - IX, XP002421567 *

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITTO20110317A1 (it) * 2011-04-08 2012-10-09 Wi Next S R L Procedimento per gestire una rete di sensori senza fili , e relativo nodo sensore, rete di sensori e prodotto informatico
WO2012137171A1 (fr) 2011-04-08 2012-10-11 Wi-Next S.R.L. Procédé permettant de gérer un réseau de capteurs sans fil, et nœud capteur, réseau de capteurs et produit programme d'ordinateur correspondants

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