Power over ethernet (POE) power management

A system for power management for a Power over Ethernet (PoE) system, the system comprising:

• a power sourcing equipment (PSE) controller component comprising a first PoE interface and at least a second PoE interface, and configured with a keep-on order comprising a first interface keep-on order value associated with the first PoE interface of the PSE controller component and a second interface keep-on order value associated with the second PoE interface of the PSE controller component, wherein the second interface keep-on order value indicates a lower priority than the first interface keep-on order value, wherein the PSE controller component is configured to:
• transmit to a supervisor a first interface power draw value associated with the first PoE interface and a second interface power draw value associated with the second PoE interface;
• and
• the supervisor operatively connected to the PSE controller component and configured to:
• store the first interface keep-on order value and a first interface identifier in a first entry of a PoE power table, and the second interface keep-on order value and a second interface identifier in a second entry of the PoE power table;
• store the first PoE interface power draw value in the first entry and the second PoE interface power draw value in the second entry;
• and
• perform, in response to a power event including a power draw increase associated with the first PoE interface, a power management action including (1) determining a number N of PoE interfaces that need to stop providing power to avoid power failure due to the power draw increase and (2) sending a signal that includes the number N to the PSE controller component, wherein the PSE controller stops N of the PoE interfaces from providing power.

A method for power management for a Power over Ethernet (PoE) system, the method comprising:

• configuring a power sourcing equipment (PSE) controller component with a keep-on order comprising a first interface keep-on order value associated with a first PoE interface of the PSE controller component and at least a second interface keep-on order value associated with at least a second PoE interface of the PSE controller component, wherein the second interface keep-on order value indicates a lower priority than the first interface keep-on order value;
• storing, by a supervisor, the first interface keep-on order value in a first entry of a PoE power table and the second interface keep-on order value in a second entry of the PoE power table;
• storing, by the supervisor, a global interface keep-on order in the PoE power table, the global interface keep-on order including a plurality of interface keep-on order values associated with each PoE interface that is providing power to a powered device and including the first and second interface keep-on order values;
• receiving by the supervisor, from the PSE controller component, a first interface power draw value associated with the first PoE interface and a second interface power draw value associated with the second PoE interface;
• storing, by the supervisor, the first interface power draw value in the first entry and the second interface power draw value in the second entry;
• and
• performing, by the supervisor and in response to a power event including a power draw increase associated with the first PoE interface, a power management action including (1) determining a number N of PoE interfaces that need to stop providing power to avoid power failure due to the power draw increase and (2) sending a signal that includes the number N to the PSE controller component, wherein the PSE controller stops N of the PoE interfaces from providing power.