Automated power control for reducing power usage in communications networks

• US 9,696,781 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2015
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baker, Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): Elamin, M
• Application Number:
  US14/724,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20160349820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3293 by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3062 where the monitored property is the power consumption power management in a computing system G06F1/3203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3442 for planning or managing the needed capacity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/815 Virtual middleware or OS functionality using virtual machines to implement generic software techniques for error detection or fault masking G06F11/1484
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4856 resumption being on a different machine, e.g. task migration, virtual machine migration G06F9/5088 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5088 involving task migration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5094 where the allocation takes into account power or heat criteria power management in computers in general G06F1/3203; thermal management in computers in general G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes monitoring power usage parameters in a data center at a controller and automatically modifying components within the data center to reduce power usage based on the power usage parameters. The power usage parameters include routing distances between the components within the data center. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring at a controller, power usage parameters in a data center; and

automatically modifying components within the data center to reduce power usage based on said power usage parameters;

wherein said power usage parameters include routing distances between the components within the data center;

wherein automatically modifying the components to reduce power usage comprises selecting a network device at which to place a virtual machine in the data center to minimize a network diameter calculated based on said routing distances; and

wherein the components comprise network devices hosting virtual machines and automatically modifying the components comprises turning off power to one of the network devices or placing one of the network devices in a low power mode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said routing distances are based on routing metrics calculated between address prefixes of the components.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising calculating a network diameter for a tenant in the data center based on said routing distances.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically modifying the components comprises moving a virtual machine from a network device and identifying a number of virtual machines remaining at the network device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the number of virtual machines remaining at the network device is one and further comprising:

moving the virtual machine to another network device; and

turning power off to the network device from which the virtual machine was moved.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the controller comprises a Software-Defined Networking (SDN) controller.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring said power usage parameters comprises monitoring load predictions based on load history.

6. An apparatus comprising:

an interface for communication with components of a data center;

a processor for monitoring power usage parameters in the data center and automatically modifying the components within the data center to reduce power usage based on said power usage parameters; and

memory for storing said power usage parameters;

wherein automatically modifying the components comprises selecting, a network device at which to place a virtual machine in the data center to minimize a network diameter calculated based on said routing distances; and

wherein said power usage parameters include routing, distances between the components within the data center and wherein modifying the components comprises changing an operating mode of at least one of the components to reduce power usage based on said power usage parameters.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said routing distances are based on routing metrics calculated between address prefixes of the components.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the processor is further operable to calculate a network diameter for a tenant in the data center based on said routing distances.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the components comprise network devices hosting virtual machines and automatically modifying the components comprises turning off power to one of the network devices.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the components comprise network devices hosting virtual machines and automatically modifying the components comprises placing one of the network devices in a low power mode.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein automatically modifying the components comprises moving a virtual machine from a network device and identifying a number of virtual machines remaining at the network device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein a number of virtual machines remaining at a network device is one and wherein the processor is further operable to move the virtual machine to another network device and turn power off to the network device from which the virtual machine was moved.

18. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein modifying components comprises reducing a topological distance communications travel within a tenant.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein reducing said topological distance comprises replacing a remote connection with a local fiber or eliminating a pass through of a distribution switch.

13. Logic encoded on one or more non-transitory computer readable media and when executed by a processor operable to:

monitor power usage parameters in a data center; and

automatically modify components within the data center to reduce power usage;

wherein said power usage parameters include routing distances between the components within the data center;

wherein automatically modifying the components to reduce power usage comprises selecting a network device at which to place a virtual machine in the data center to minimize a network diameter calculated based on said routing distances; and

wherein the components comprise network devices hosting virtual machines and automatically modifying the components comprises turning off power to one of the network devices or placing one of the network devices in a low power mode.

14. The logic of claim 13 wherein automatic modification of the components comprises selection of a network device at which to place a virtual machine in the data center to minimize a network diameter calculated based on said routing distances.

15. The logic of claim 13 wherein a number of virtual machines remaining at a network device is one and further comprising logic for moving the virtual machine to another network device and turning power off to the network device from which the virtual machine was moved.