Network power consumption allocation based on power consumption credits

A controller, comprising:

• a memory storing instructions;
• and
• one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions to:
• create a power consumption credit pool for a network, the power consumption credit pool comprising a number of power consumption credits based on a power budget for the network, the network comprising a plurality of network devices;
• for each network device of the plurality of network devices:
• measure a power consumption requirement by:
• measuring a current data traffic load of the network device;
• translating the current data traffic load to a power consumption requirement based on enabling capabilities of the network device for meeting the data traffic load;
• and
• converting the power consumption requirement to a power consumption credit requirement;
• responsive to the measured power consumption requirement being greater than a baseline power consumption, allocate one or more power consumption credits from the power consumption credit pool to the network device;
• and
• responsive to the measured power consumption requirement being less than the baseline power consumption, generate one or more power consumption credits for the power consumption credits pool;
• assign a first number of power consumption credits to each of the plurality of network devices responsive to activating the plurality of network devices;
• and
• control operations of the plurality of network devices based on the number of power consumption credits in the power consumption credit pool.