Method of reducing power consumption of network connection apparatus and apparatus for same

• US 20070053360A1
• Filed: 07/18/2006
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alaxala Networks Corporation (Fortinet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alaxala Networks Corporation (Fortinet Inc.)
• Inventors: Doi, Toshio, Hino, Shunsuke, Unno, Motoyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,839,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

There is provided a network connection apparatus including a plurality of line connection parts 201 connected to network lines 111 to transmit and receive packets, a transmission destination decision part 104 for deciding a transmission destination on the basis of header information of packet received by a first one of the plurality of line connection parts, a packet transfer part 103 for transferring packets to a second line connection destination corresponding to the transmission destination decided by the transmission destination decision part, a power supply part 102 for supplying power to the line connection parts and a power control part 203 for controlling supply of power to each of the line connection parts from the power supply part.

Claims

1. A network connection apparatus connected to a plurality of network lines, comprising:

a plurality of line connection parts connected to the network lines to transmit and receive packets;

a transmission destination decision part for deciding a transmission destination on the basis of header information of packet received by a first one of the plurality of line connection parts;

a packet transfer part for transferring packets to a second line connection destination corresponding to the transmission destination decided by the transmission destination decision part;

a power supply part for supplying power to the line connection parts; and

a power control part for controlling supply of power to each of the line connection parts from the power supply part.

2. A network connection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a traffic monitoring part for monitoring traffic of the network lines connected to the line connection parts, and

wherein

the power control part makes control on the basis of monitoring by the traffic monitoring part.

3. A network connection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a traffic monitoring part for monitoring traffic of the network lines connected to the line connection parts; and

a power control condition memory for storing power control condition that is condition for supply of power from the power supply part; and

wherein

the power control part compares the traffic monitored by the traffic monitoring part with the power control condition and controls to increase power supplied to the line connection part when the traffic is heavier than the power control condition and reduce power supplied to the line connection part when the traffic is lighter than the power control condition.

4. A network connection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the power control condition contains an upper threshold set to increase power supply in accordance with the traffic monitored by the traffic monitoring part and a lower threshold set to reduce power supply in accordance with the traffic.

5. A network connection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a traffic monitoring part for monitoring traffic of the network lines connected to the line connection parts;

a time monitoring part for monitoring time; and

a power control condition memory for storing power control condition containing first time and first traffic as condition for power supply from the power supply part; and

wherein

the power control part compares the traffic monitored by the traffic monitoring part with the power control condition and controls, when the traffic is lighter than the power control condition, to compare the time monitored by the time monitoring part with the first time and reduce power supply on the basis of the fact that the time is past the first time.

6. A network connection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a traffic monitoring part for monitoring traffic of the network lines connected to the line connection parts;

a time monitoring part for monitoring time; and

a power control condition memory for storing power control condition containing first time and first traffic as condition for power supply from the power supply part; and

wherein

the power control part compares the traffic monitored by the traffic monitoring part with the power control condition and controls, when the traffic is heavier than the power control condition, to compare the time monitored by the time monitoring part with the first time and increase power supply on the basis of the fact that the time is past the first time.

7. A network connection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a time monitoring part for monitoring time; and

a power control condition memory for storing control condition that is condition for power supply form the power supply part; and

wherein

the power control part compares the time monitored by the time monitoring part with the power control condition and controls to increase or reduce power supply when the time is past the power control condition.

8. A network connection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the control condition contains start time that the power supply is increased in response to the fact that the time monitored by the time monitoring part is past and end time that the power supply is reduced in response to the fact that the time monitored by the time monitoring part is past.

9. A network connection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a traffic monitoring part for monitoring traffic of the network lines connected to the line connection parts;

a time monitoring part for monitoring time; and

a power control condition memory for storing power control condition containing first time and first traffic as condition for power supply from the power supply part; and

wherein

the power control part compares the time monitored by the time monitoring part with the first time and compares the traffic monitored by the traffic monitoring part with the first traffic on the basis of the fact that the time is past the first time, the power control part controlling to reduce the power supply on the basis of the fact that the traffic is lighter than the first traffic.

10. A network connection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a traffic monitoring part for monitoring traffic of the network lines connected to the line connection parts;

a time monitoring part for monitoring time; and

a power control condition memory for storing power control condition containing first time and first traffic as condition for power supply from the power supply part; and

wherein

the power control part compares the time monitored by the time monitoring part with the first time and compares the traffic monitored by the traffic monitoring part with the first traffic on the basis of the fact that the time is past the first time, the power control part controlling to increase the power supply on the basis of the fact that the traffic is heavier than the first traffic.

11. A network connection apparatus connected to a plurality of network lines, comprising:

a plurality of line connection parts connected to the network lines to transmit and receive packets;

a transmission destination decision part for deciding a transmission destination on the basis of header information of packet received by a first one of the plurality of line connection parts;

a packet transfer part for transferring packets to a second line connection destination corresponding to the transmission destination decided by the transmission destination decision part;

a power supply part for supplying power to the line connection parts;

a power control part for controlling supply of power to each of the line connection parts from the power supply part;

a traffic monitoring part for monitoring traffic of the network lines connected to the line connection parts for each of the line connection parts or for each of the network lines; and

a power control condition memory for storing power control condition that is condition for supply of power from the power supply part; and

wherein

the power control part compares the traffic monitored by the traffic monitoring part in regard to the first line connection part with the power control condition and controls to start supply of power to a third line connection part registered in the power control condition of the plurality of line connection parts or network lines when the traffic is heavier than the power control condition.

12. A network connection apparatus connected to a plurality of network lines, comprising:

a plurality of line connection parts connected to the network lines to transmit and receive packets;

a transmission destination decision part for deciding a transmission destination on the basis of header information of packet received by a first one of the plurality of line connection parts;

a packet transfer part for transferring packets to a second line connection destination corresponding to the transmission destination decided by the transmission destination decision part;

a power supply part for supplying power to the line connection parts;

a power control part for controlling supply of power to each of the line connection parts from the power supply part;

a traffic monitoring part for monitoring traffic of the network lines connected to the line connection parts for each of the line connection parts or for each of the network lines; and

a power control condition memory for storing power control condition that is condition for supply of power from the power supply part; and

wherein

the power control part judges whether configuration of link aggregation is set between the first and second line connection parts or not; and

the power control condition memory stores power control condition set in accordance with the configuration of link aggregation when the configuration of link aggregation is set.

13. A network connection apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising

a shaper device for controlling band on the basis of priority of packet;

and

wherein

the power control part compares the traffic monitored by the traffic monitoring part with the power control condition and increases power supply to the line connection part when the traffic is heavier than the power control condition; and

the shaper device discards packets having low priority of traffic when the traffic monitored by the traffic monitoring part exceeds band provided by the configuration of link aggregation.