Power saving in a network device

A method for power saving in a network device, the method comprising:

• determining, at a component implemented on an integrated circuit (IC) of the network device, that the component is to retrieve packet data stored in a memory implemented on the IC of the network device;
• in connection with determining that the component is to is to retrieve packet data stored in the memory of the network device, prompting, by the component, the memory to activate a clock network of the memory;
• in connection with prompting the memory to activate the clock network, sending a read command from the component to the memory to be processed by the memory;
• determining, at the component, when the memory has completed processing of the read command;
• and
• in response to determining that the memory has completed processing of the read command, prompting, by the component, the memory to deactivate the clock network.

A network device, comprising:

• a memory configured to store packet data corresponding to packets received via a plurality of network interfaces of the network device;
• a packet processor configured to process packets received via the plurality of network interfaces of the network device, the packet processor including a clock network;
• and
• circuitry configured to:
• manage queues in the memory,
• selectively release to the packet processor packet data in queues in the memory for processing by the packet processor,
• in connection with determining that packet data is to be released to the packet processor, prompt the packet processor to activate the clock network of the packet processor,
• in connection with prompting the packet processor to activate the clock network, releasing the packet data to the packet processor,
• determine when the packet processor has completed processing of the packet data, and
• in response to determining that the packet processor has completed processing of the packet data, prompt the packet processor to deactivate the clock network.