High availability combined data/power provisioning system

An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:

• at least one powering device;
• a powered device;
• and
• a combined data/power coupling device including a first powering device connector and a second powering device connector that are each coupled to the at least one powering device, and a powered device connector coupled to the powered device, wherein the combined data/power coupling device is configured to:
• configure each of the first powering device connector and the second powering device connector to receive power from the at least one powering device;
• configure the first powering device connector to receive data from the at least one powering device;
• provide data and power received from the at least one powering device via the first powering device connector to the powered device via the powered device connector;
• determine that data and power are not available via the first powering device connector;
• configure the second powering device connector to receive data from the at least one powering device;
• provide data and power received from the at least one powering device via the second powering device connector to the powered device via the powered device connector;
• and
• a power subsystem that is included in the combined data/power coupling device and that is configured to supply power to the combined data/power coupling device between a first time when power is not available via the first powering device connector and a second time when power is received from the at least one powering device via the second powering device connector.

A method for providing combined data/power to a powered device, comprising:

• configuring, by a combined data/power coupling device, each of a first powering device connector and a second powering device connector on the combined data/power coupling device to receive power from at least one powering device coupled to the first powering device connector and the second powering device connector;
• configuring, by the combined data/power coupling device, the first powering device connector to receive data from the at least one powering device;
• providing, by the combined data/power coupling device, data and power received from the at least one powering device via the first powering device connector to a powered device via a powered device connector on the combined data/power coupling device that is coupled to the powered device;
• determining, by the combined data/power coupling device, that data and power are not available via the first powering device connector;
• configuring, by the combined data/power coupling device, the second powering device connector to receive data from the at least one powering device;
• and
• providing, by the combined data/power coupling device, data and power received from the at least one powering device via the second powering device connector to the powered device via the powered device connector;
• supplying, by a power subsystem that is included in the combined data/power coupling device, power to the combined data/power coupling device between a first time when power is not available via the first powering device connector and a second time when power is received from the at least one powering device via the second powering device connector.