Network routing protocol power saving method for network elements

A method comprising:

• determining a network topology in a network comprising a plurality of network elements comprising nodes linked in communication via a plurality of links;
• based on utilization of the links, identifying links among the plurality of links that are candidates for power management and links that are not candidates for power management;
• effecting operation of links that are not candidates for power management at full power;
• detecting, from among the links that are candidates for power management, a condition under which a power state of a link may be changed, the condition comprising a link power-state change condition and being determined as a function of utilization of the link;
• and
• effecting a change in the power-state for the link by effecting a change in the power state of first and second ports of respective first and second network elements linked in communication via the link.

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor
• memory, operatively coupled to the processor;
• a network interface;
• a storage device, having instructions stored therein configured to be executed by the processor to cause the apparatus to perform operations including,
• coupling the network interface in communication with a network comprising a plurality of network elements comprising nodes linked in communication via a plurality of links;
• determining a network topology in the network;
• based on utilization of the links, identifying links among the plurality of links that are candidates for power management and links that are not candidates for power management;
• effecting operation of links that are not candidates for power management at full power;
• detecting, from among the links that are candidates for power management, a condition under which a power state of a link may be changed, the condition comprising a link power-state change condition and being determined as a function of utilization of the link;
• and
• effecting a change in the power-state for the link by effecting a change in the power state of first and second ports of respective first and second network elements linked in communication via the link.

A tangible non-transient machine readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions that in response to being executed by an apparatus cause the apparatus perform operations comprising:

• coupling a network interface of the apparatus in communication with a network comprising a plurality of network elements comprising nodes linked in communication via a plurality of links;
• determining a network topology in the network;
• based on utilization of the links, identifying links among the plurality of links that are candidates for power management and links that are not candidates for power management;
• effecting operation of links that are not candidates for power management at full power;
• detecting, from among the links that are candidates for power management, a condition under which a power state of a link may be changed, the condition comprising a link power-state change condition and being determined as a function of utilization of the link;
• and
• effecting a change in the power-state for the link by effecting a change in the power state of first and second ports of respective first and second network elements linked in communication via the link.