Cloud-based control of a Wi-Fi network

A cloud-based controller configured to control a Wi-Fi network with one or more access points, the cloud-based controller comprising:

• a network interface communicatively coupled to the Wi-Fi network, wherein the cloud-based controller is located in a network remote from the Wi-Fi network and implements a cloud-based service;
• one or more processors communicatively coupled to the network interface;
• and, memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
• obtain measurements from a Wi-Fi network that includes one or more access points;
• determine a configuration of the Wi-Fi network to implement based on the measurements, wherein the configuration includes one or more of i) steering a client device to associate with a specific access point of the one or more access points and ii) steering the client device to connect to a specific frequency band of the one or more access points, and wherein the configuration further includes a steering technique of a plurality of configured steering techniques of the cloud-based service for how the one or more access points implement the steering for the client device dynamically selected based on observing behaviors of devices on the Wi-Fi network, wherein the configured steering technique includes any of a plurality of software defined networking (SDN), channel switch announcement (CSA), fast roaming, assisted roaming, directed multicast, forced disassociation, and access control list (ACL) blocking;
• and
• provide the configuration to the Wi-Fi network for implementation thereof.

A method comprising:

• obtaining measurements from a Wi-Fi network that includes one or more access points, wherein the method is implemented by a controller located in a network remote from the Wi-Fi network and the controller implements a cloud-based service;
• determining a configuration of the Wi-Fi network to implement based on the measurements, wherein the configuration includes one or more of i) steering a client device to associate with a specific access point of the one or more access points and ii) steering the client device to connect to a specific frequency band of the one or more access points, and wherein the configuration further includes a steering technique of a plurality of configured steering techniques of the cloud-based service for how the one or more access points implement the steering for the client device dynamically selected based on observing behaviors of devices on the Wi-Fi network, wherein the configured steering technique includes any of a plurality of software defined networking (SDN), channel switch announcement (CSA), fast roaming, assisted roaming, directed multicast, forced disassociation, and access control list (ACL) blocking;
• and
• providing the configuration to the Wi-Fi network for implementation thereof.