Unifying local and mobility network identifiers

A mobility switch comprising:

• a wired interface to a network device, the network device corresponding to a user;
• a wired network identifier corresponding to the network device,
• a mobility interface to a mobile device, the mobile device corresponding to the same user as the network device;
• a mobility network identifier corresponding to the mobile device;
• a mapping from mobility network identifiers to wired network identifiers, the mapping configured to determine the wired network identifier corresponding to a packet frame emanating from the mobility device assigned the mobility network identifier, and further configured for forwarding, based on the determined wired network identifier, the packet frame, the forwarded packet frame transported via the mapped wired network identifier;
• assigning a mobility network identifier to a mobility device corresponding to a user;
• assigning a wired network identifier to a stationary device corresponding to a user, the stationary device defined by a wired connection to a core network and the mobility device defined by a wireless link to the core network;
• and
• defining a mapping from the mobility network identifier to the wired network identifier, the mapping for determining the wired network identifier corresponding to a packet frame emanating from the mobility device assigned the mobility network identifier;
• storing the mapping at a wireless controller, the wireless controller coupled to each of the mobility switches for transporting the mapping, and
• indentifying, via the mapping, the mobility network identifier at a mobility switch different than the mobility switch included in the wired connection of the stationary device to the core network;
• wherein the mobility network identifier has a visibility among mobility switches in a local area network (LAN) corresponding to the stationary device, the core network including a plurality of LANs, further comprising:
• mapping a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the mobile device to a mobility network identifier at a wireless access point;
• receiving a packet frame from the wireless access point at a remote mobility switch, the remote mobility switch indicative of roaming user;
• and
• indexing, from the mapping at the remote mobility switch, the mobility network identifier to determine the wired network identifier corresponding to the roaming user.

A computer program product having computer program code encoded as a set of instructions on a non-transient computer readable storage medium that, when executed by a processor, cause the computer to perform a method for managing a split-plane wireless network, the method comprising:

• receiving a packet frame from a mobile device, the packet frame having a mobility network identifier;
• mapping, at a mobility switch configured for routing wired message traffic and mobility message traffic, the mobility network identifier to a wired network identifier, the mobility message traffic defined by a wireless link to the mobile device;
• determining, from the mapping, the wired network identifier corresponding to the user of the mobile device;
• forwarding, based on the determined wired network identifier, the packet frame, the forwarded packet frame transported via the mapped wired network identifier;
• assigning a mobility network identifier to a mobility device corresponding to a user;
• assigning a wired network identifier to a stationary device corresponding to a user, the stationary device defined by a wired connection to a core network and the mobility device defined by a wireless link to the core network;
• and
• defining a mapping from the mobility network identifier to the wired network identifier, the mapping for determining the wired network identifier corresponding to a packet frame emanating from the mobility device assigned the mobility network identifier;
• storing the mapping at a wireless controller, the wireless controller coupled to each of the mobility switches for transporting the mapping, and
• indentifying, via the mapping, the mobility network identifier at a mobility switch different than the mobility switch included in the wired connection of the stationary device to the core network;
• wherein the mobility network identifier has a visibility among mobility switches in a local area network (LAN) corresponding to the stationary device, the core network including a plurality of LANs, further comprising:
• mapping a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the mobile device to a mobility network identifier at a wireless access point;
• receiving a packet frame from the wireless access point at a remote mobility switch, the remote mobility switch indicative of roaming user;
• and
• indexing, from the mapping at the remote mobility switch, the mobility network identifier to determine the wired network identifier corresponding to the roaming user.