Rack level power management for power over Ethernet

A system for powering a plurality of power over Ethernet ports, the system comprising:

• at least one power source;
• a power manager receiving an indication of power available from said at least one power source;
• a first plurality of power over Ethernet devices responsive to said power manager and arranged to receive power from said at least one power source, each of said power over Ethernet devices being operable to supply power for at least one power over Ethernet port associated therewith;
• said power manager being operative to:
• allocate a power budget to each of a first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said power budget being a function of said indication of available power;
• and
• in the event that said indication of available power is greater than a first predetermined amount,
• transmit an enabling command for ports of a first priority to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices being operable responsive to said transmitted enabling command to enable the powering of power over Ethernet ports associated therewith having said first priority, each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices powering ports of said first priority within said power budget.

A system for powering a plurality of power over Ethernet ports, the system comprising:

• at least one power source;
• a plurality of power over Ethernet devices circuits receiving power from said at least one power source, each of said power over Ethernet devices controlling power for at least one power over Ethernet port;
• a power manager receiving an indication of power availability and power consumption from said at least one power source;
• said power manager being operative to:
• transmit a power allocation to each of said plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said power allocation being a function of said indication of power availability;
• transmit an enabling command for ports of a first priority to said plurality of power over Ethernet devices;
• monitor said indication of power consumption from said at least one power source, and in the event that the rate of change of power consumption is less than a predetermined amount;
• transmit an enabling commands for ports of second priority to said plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said second priority being lower than said first priority.

A method for rapidly powering a plurality of power over Ethernet ports, the method comprising:

• inputting an indication of available power;
• allocating a power budget to each of a first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, each of said power over Ethernet devices powering at least one power over Ethernet port, said power budget being a function of said indication of available power;
• transmitting an enabling command for ports of a first priority to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices powering ports of said first priority within said power budget;
• monitoring an indication of power consumption until said power consumption has stabilized;
• allocating an updated power budget to each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said power budget being a function of said available power and said indication of power consumption;
• and
• transmitting an enabling command for ports of a second priority to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said second priority being lower than said first priority.