Filtering broadcast packets in distributed communication systems

Abstract

Devices, systems, methods, and processes for filtering of received broadcast packets at access points (APs) connected to a controller. Typically, the APs forward all the received broadcast packets to the controller for processing. Many of these broadcast packets may not be subscribed by any application and thus are dropped by the controller. Thus, both the APs and the controller resources are being wasted in processing the broadcast packets that may eventually be dropped. The controller, therefore, generates a filtering ruleset to drop one or more broadcast packets from the received broadcast packets based on one or more subscriptions from applications. The controller may install the filtering ruleset on the APs, so that only the broadcast packets subscribed by the applications are received by the controller. Further, the controller may run periodic updates on the filtering ruleset to accommodate any new subscriptions, new allow rule or drop rule from the applications.