Method and system for power control based on application awareness in a packet network switch

• US 8,437,352 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lund, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALIYUR, VENKATESH N
• Application Number:
  US11/442,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20070280239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,534 Days
• Field of Search: 370229-503, 370/395.52, 4554351-457
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/745 Address table lookup; Address filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/256 Routing or path finding in ATM switching fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/35 Switches specially adapted for specific applications

Abstract

Certain aspects of a method and system for a power control based on application awareness in a packet network switch are provided. Data communication flow may be monitored in ports in a packet network switch based on packet classification. Ports where data flow is not detected may have at least some functionality disabled to reduce power consumption. In this regard, a power saving mode may be utilized for disabling at least some functionality in a switch port, such as Ethernet ports, for example. A partially disabled port may be fully enabled when monitoring detects active data communication flow in that port. Port functionality may be enabled or disabled sequentially, for example. In some instances, a physical layer portion of the packet network switch may be utilized to adjust power in a port based on the data communication flow.

Claims

1. A method, the method comprising:

classifying, by a network switch, data flow received via one or more of a plurality of ports of said network switch;

discovering, by said network switch, which one or more service applications running on one or more first network devices coupled to said network switch are associated with said data flow, wherein;

said discovering is based on said classifying; and

said service applications provide services to one or more second network devices via said network switch;

discovering which at least one of said plurality of ports of said network switch corresponds to said discovered one or more service applications associated with said data flow; and

disabling or slowing down, by said network switch, one or more portions of circuitry associated with said at least one of said plurality of ports of said network switch based on said discovered one or more service applications associated with said data flow.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of ports are Ethernet ports.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising, where said one or more portions of said circuitry comprises a plurality of portions, sequentially disabling two or more of said plurality of portions of circuitry.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining when to enable said disabled one or more portions of said based on said discovered one or more service applications associated with said data flow.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising, where said one or more portions of said circuitry comprises a plurality of portions, sequentially enabling two or more disabled ones of said plurality of portions of circuitry.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry associated with said at least one port is physical layer circuitry.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more portions of said circuitry comprises one or more amplifiers.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section, the at least one code section being executable by a computer for causing the computer to perform steps comprising:

classifying, by a network switch, data flow received via one or more of a plurality of ports of said network switch;

discovering, by said network switch, which one or more service applications running on one or more first network devices coupled to said network switch are associated with said data flow, wherein;

said discovering is based on said classifying; and

said service applications provide services to one or more second network devices via said network switch;

discovering which at least one of said plurality of ports of said network switch corresponds to said discovered one or more service applications associated with said data flow; and

disabling or slowing down, by said network switch, one or more portions of circuitry associated with at least one of said plurality of ports of said network switch based on said discovered one or more service applications associated with said data flow.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of ports are Ethernet ports.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 7, wherein said one or more portions of said circuitry comprises a plurality of portions, and said at least one code section comprises code for sequentially disabling two or more of said plurality of portions of said circuitry.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 7, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for determining when to enable said disabled one or more portions of said circuitry based on said discovered one or more service applications associated with said data flow.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 7, wherein said one or more portions of said circuitry comprises a plurality of portions, and said at least one code section comprises code for sequentially enabling two or more disabled ones of said plurality of portions of said circuitry.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 7, wherein said circuitry associated with said at least one port is physical layer circuitry.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 7, wherein said one or more portions of said circuitry comprises one or more amplifiers.

13. A system for, the system comprising:

one or more processors and/or circuits for use in a network switch, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits comprise circuitry associated with at least one of a plurality of ports of said network switch and said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to;

classify data flow received via one or more of said plurality of ports of said network switch;

discover which one or more service applications running on one or more first network devices coupled to said network switch are associated with said data flow, wherein;

said discovering is based on said classifying; and

said service applications provide services to one or more second network devices via said network switch;

discover which at least one of said plurality of ports of said network switch corresponds to said discovered one or more service applications associated with said data flow; and

disable or slow down one or more portions of said circuitry associated with at least one of said plurality of ports of said network switch based on said discovered one or more service applications associated with said data flow.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of ports are Ethernet ports.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein:

said one or more portions of said circuitry comprises a plurality of portions of said circuitry; and

said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to sequentially disable two or more of said plurality of portions of said circuitry.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to determine when to enable said disabled one or more portions of said circuitry based on said discovered one or more service applications associated with said data flow.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein:

said one or more portions of said circuitry comprises a plurality of portions; and

said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to sequentially enable two or more disabled ones of said plurality of portions of said circuitry.

18. The system according to claim 13, wherein said circuitry associated with said at least one port is physical layer circuitry.

21. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more portions of said circuitry comprises one or more amplifiers.