IMPLEMENTING SLEEP LINES IN COMMODITY ETHERNET HARDWARE

• US 20120084590A1
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LSI Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zwisler, Ross E., McKean, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,661,275 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3278 Power saving in modem or I/O interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A first Network Interface Controller operates in a low power mode. The first Network Interface Controller transitions from low power mode to a power-up sequence if a sleep packet in not received from a second Network Interface Controller at the first Network Interface Controller within a predetermined time threshold.

Claims

1. A method for power management, comprising:

operating a first Network Interface Controller (NIC) in a low power mode; and

transitioning the first NIC from the low power mode to a power-up sequence if a sleep packet is not received from a second NIC at the first NIC within a predetermined time threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

coordinating the first NIC to operate in the low power mode.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

starting a timer corresponding with operating the first NIC in the low power mode.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

resetting the timer if the sleep packet is received from the second NIC at the first NIC within the predetermined time threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first NIC operates within a first storage controller.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transitioning the first NIC from the low power mode to a power-up sequence if a sleep packet is not received from a second NIC at the first NIC within a predetermined time threshold includes:

initiating a power-up sequence for the first storage controller.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the operating the first NIC in the low power mode includes:

operating the first storage controller in a controller low power mode.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the coordinating the first NIC to operate in the low power mode includes:

a first storage controller receiving a request from a second storage controller to operate in the low power mode.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the coordinating the first NIC to operate in the low power mode includes:

a first storage controller notifying a second storage controller of the first storage controller operating in the low power mode.

10. A Network Interface Controller (NIC), comprising:

a memory for storing firmware configured to operate the NIC;

a bus communicatively coupled to the memory for data transfers within the NIC;

a processor communicatively coupled to the bus for executing the firmware;

a transceiver communicatively coupled to the bus for sending data from the NIC and receiving data to the NIC; and

an Ethernet port communicatively coupled to the bus for providing a physical data interface between the NIC and an Ethernet network,

wherein the firmware is configured to perform a method for power management of the NIC, the method comprising;

operating the NIC in a low power mode, and

transitioning the NIC from the low power mode to a power-up sequence if a sleep packet is not received from a second NIC at the NIC within a predetermined time threshold.

11. The NIC of claim 10, wherein the method for power management of the NIC further includes:

starting a timer corresponding with operating the NIC in the low power mode.

12. The NIC of claim 11, wherein the method for power management of the NIC further includes:

resetting the timer if the sleep packet is received from the second NIC at the first NIC within the predetermined time threshold.

13. The NIC of claim 10, wherein the transitioning the NIC from the low power mode to a power-up sequence includes initiating a power-up sequence for the storage controller.

14. The NIC of claim 10, wherein operating the NIC in a low power mode includes operating the storage controller in a low power mode.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for power management, the method comprising:

operating a first Network Interface Controller (NIC) in a low power mode; and

transitioning the first NIC from the low power mode to a power-up sequence if a sleep packet is not received from a second NIC at the first NIC within a predetermined time threshold.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method for power management further includes:

coordinating the first NIC to operate in the low power mode.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method for power management further includes:

starting a timer corresponding with operating the first NIC in the low power mode.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method for power management further includes:

resetting the timer if the sleep packet is received from the second NIC at the first NIC within the predetermined time threshold.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the coordinating the first NIC to operate in the low power mode includes:

the second NIC requesting the first NIC to operate in a low power mode.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the coordinating a first NIC to operate in a low power mode includes:

the first NIC notifying the second NIC of the first NIC operating in a low power mode.