Dynamic Network Port Management for Energy-Efficient Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication networks face challenges in balancing redundancy for high network availability with energy efficiency, leading to increased energy consumption and environmental impact, with IEEE 802.3az failing to optimize energy use in redundant devices.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a sustainable port management logic that monitors network changes, identifies and de-energizes non-critical ports based on link state changes, and maintains critical links in an energized state to reduce energy consumption while ensuring network resilience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundant network ports and devices are added to ensure high network availability, then network reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic port management where network ports are transitioned between energized and de-energized states based on real-time monitoring of link states and traffic patterns. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt its energy consumption to actual network needs, de-energizing redundant ports when not needed while maintaining them when required for network availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational state parameter of network ports from a static always-on state to a dynamic state that can be energized or de-energized. By monitoring link states and changing the power state parameter accordingly, the system reduces energy consumption while maintaining network reliability through selective energization of critical ports.
2Use of energy by moving object
If IEEE 802.3az Energy Efficient Ethernet is implemented to reduce energy consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but redundant devices cannot be optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network port management into individual controllable units, allowing each port to be independently monitored and controlled. This segmentation enables the system to apply energy efficiency measures selectively to specific ports rather than treating all ports uniformly, thereby optimizing redundant devices while maintaining necessary network functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous monitoring of link states and port activity with feedback mechanisms that trigger appropriate energy management actions. This feedback loop allows the system to detect when redundant ports are inactive and automatically de-energize them, providing optimization capability that adapts to actual network conditions rather than following fixed protocols.
3Reliability
If all ports of redundant devices are kept operational to maintain network connectivity, then network connectivity is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary monitoring of link states and traffic patterns to identify which ports are critical for network connectivity before making energy management decisions. By anticipating which ports need to remain operational, the system can de-energize non-critical redundant ports in advance while ensuring that critical ports remain energized to maintain network connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The network device autonomously monitors its own port states and makes intelligent decisions about which ports to de-energize based on detected link states and traffic patterns. This self-service capability allows the device to automatically optimize its own energy consumption without external intervention, de-energizing redundant ports while maintaining necessary connectivity.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, networks, systems, methods, and processes for managing ports of a network device in a network are described herein. The network may include multiple network devices, multiple links between the network devices, and a controller. The controller can identify one or more links switched from an active state to a blocked state. The controller may identify one or more ports of the network device that are connected to the blocked links. The controller can signal the network device to de-energize the identified ports. After the de-energization, the ports connected to the blocked links do not consume energy, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the network device. The controller can also dynamically select one or more links as critical links. The controller may maintain the critical links in the active state and also maintain one or more ports connected to the critical links in an energized state, thereby providing network resilience.