Measuring and Managing Power Usage and Cooling in a Network

• US 20120124398A1
• Filed: 11/16/2010
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: DIAB, Wael William
• Granted Patent: US 9,647,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0833 for reduction of network energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

A system for measuring aspects of a network having a plurality of network components, includes a monitor configured to gather operational characteristics of at least one of the plurality of network components and an analyzer. The analyzer is configured to analyze the gathered operational characteristics received from the monitor and estimate characteristics of an unmonitored one of the plurality of network components based on the gathered operational characteristics.

Claims

1. A system for measuring aspects of a network having a plurality of network components, comprising:

a monitor configured to gather operational characteristics of at least one of the plurality of network components;

an analyzer, wherein the analyzer is configured to;

analyze the gathered operational characteristics received from the monitor; and

estimate characteristics of an unmonitored one of the plurality of network components based on the gathered operational characteristics.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the analyzer is further configured to generate a map display of at least one of the characteristics.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the estimation of the characteristics of the unmonitored one of the plurality of network components is based on extrapolation from the gathered operational characteristics.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network components has an oversubscribed power configuration.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the gathered operational characteristics include a measure of the frequency with which a monitored component has utilized a low-power mode.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the gathered operational characteristics include a measure of the frequency with which a link associated with a monitored component has utilized a subrated mode.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the gathered operational characteristics include information corresponding to an application that is executing on a monitored component.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a log, wherein the analyzer is further configured to:

store gathered operational characteristics in the log; and

estimate characteristics of an unmonitored one of the plurality of network components based on the gathered operational characteristics and information retrieved from the log.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a reference store, wherein the analyzer is further configured to:

retrieve reference information about a network component from the reference store;

store the retrieved reference information in a memory; and

estimate characteristics of an unmonitored one of the plurality of network components based on the gathered operational characteristics and reference information stored in the memory.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the reference information about a network component includes one of:

physical characteristics of the network component,

a power rating of the network component,

a recommended temperature zone of the network component, and

a recommended humidity zone of the network component.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control policy associated with a network component, wherein the analyzer is further configured to:

retrieve the control policy associated with the network component, and

estimate characteristics of an unmonitored one of the plurality of network components based on the gathered operational characteristics and the control policy.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a topology reference associated with the plurality of network components, wherein the analyzer is further configured to:

retrieve the topology of the network from the topology reference, such topology associated with a one of the plurality of network components, and

estimate characteristics of an unmonitored one of the plurality of network components based on the gathered operational characteristics and the retrieved topology.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller, wherein the controller is configured to;

generate configuration instructions based on at least one of the gathered operational characteristics and the estimated characteristics, and

send the configuration instructions to at least one of the plurality of network components.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the configuration instructions are a control policy modification and the at least one of the plurality of network components is a device that implements Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) mechanisms.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the configuration instructions are designed to promote a goal with respect to the at least one of the plurality of network components.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the goal is increased efficiency.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the goal is increased performance.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a threshold associated with a characteristics of a one of the plurality of network components, wherein if the threshold is exceeded, the controller is configured to generate responsive configuration instructions based on the threshold-exceeding characteristics.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the responsive configuration instructions include disabling functions of the component having the threshold exceeding characteristics.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the threshold is a power use threshold.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the threshold is a power use threshold. the responsive configuration instructions generated include EEE control policies designed to reduce the power usage of the component having the threshold exceeding characteristics.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of network components has an oversubscribed power configuration.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the operational characteristics, the estimated characteristics and the generated configuration instructions relate to cooling a network component.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the analyzer is further configured to generate a map heat map display.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of network components is one of, a switch and a router.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of network components is a host.

31. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of network devices is divided into two or more monitoring groups.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein each of the monitoring groups is associated with a user.

6. The system of 5, wherein the low-power mode is implemented using Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) mechanisms.

29. The system of claim 6, wherein the control policy modification is directed to the energy efficiency settings associated with a port on a switch.

30. The system of claim 6, wherein the control policy modification is directed to increasing the energy efficiency of a traffic path.

13. The system of 12, wherein the control policy is associated with a network component that implements Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) mechanisms.

33. A method of measuring aspects of a network having a plurality of network components, comprising:

monitoring operational characteristics of at least one of the plurality of network components; and

estimating characteristics of an unmonitored one of the plurality of network components based on the monitored operational characteristics.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

generating configuration instructions based on at least one of the monitored operational characteristics and the estimated characteristics; and

sending the configuration instructions to at least one of the plurality of network components.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising retrieving reference information about a network component from a reference store;

and

wherein the estimating comprises estimating characteristics of an unmonitored one of the plurality of network components based on the gathered operational characteristics and reference information retrieved from the reference store.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

storing gathered operational characteristics in the log; and

retrieving log information about a network component from the log,

wherein the estimating comprises estimating characteristics of an unmonitored one of the plurality of network components based on the gathered operational characteristics and retrieved log information.