System and method for managing network devices that deliver an application service using energy savings information

A method in a data center, said data center including a plurality of server devices, said plurality of server devices being used to provide an application service by said data center, comprising:

• receiving, by a network management station in said data center from a first of said plurality of server devices, first energy savings information for a first hardware subsystem in said first of said plurality of server devices, said first energy savings information being generated by said first of said plurality of server devices based upon use by said first hardware subsystem of an energy savings state in response to a low traffic utilization condition detected by said first of said plurality of server devices in monitoring an absence of traffic that is to be transmitted by a first physical layer device in said first of said plurality of server devices to a second physical layer device in a first link partner device, said first physical layer device and said second physical layer device being coupled by a network cable;
• receiving, by said network management station from a second of said plurality of server devices, second energy savings information for a second hardware subsystem in said second of said plurality of server devices, said second energy savings information being generated by said second of said plurality of server devices based upon use by said second hardware subsystem of an energy savings state in response to a low traffic utilization condition detected by said second of said plurality of server devices in monitoring an absence of traffic that is to be transmitted by a third physical layer device in said second of said plurality of server devices to a fourth physical layer device in a second link partner device, said third physical layer device and said fourth physical layer device being coupled by a network cable;
• determining, by said network management station, a level of utilization of said application service delivered by said data center based on said first and second received energy savings information from said first of said plurality of server devices and said second of said plurality of server devices;
• and
• switching off one of said plurality of server devices used to deliver said application service based on said determination.

A method for managing an energy efficient control policy in a plurality of server devices in a data center, said plurality of server devices being used to provide an application service by said data center, comprising:

• receiving, by a network management station in said data center from a first of said plurality of server devices, first energy savings information for a first hardware subsystem in said first of said plurality of server devices, said first energy savings information being generated by said first of said plurality of server devices based upon use by said first hardware subsystem of an energy savings state in response to a low traffic utilization condition detected by said first of said plurality of server devices in monitoring an absence of traffic that is to be transmitted by a first physical layer device in said first of said plurality of server devices to a second physical layer device in a first link partner device, said first physical layer device and said second physical layer device being coupled by a network cable;
• receiving, by said network management station from a second of said plurality of server devices, second energy savings information for a second hardware subsystem in said second of said plurality of server devices, said second energy savings information being generated by said second of said plurality of server devices based upon use by said second hardware subsystem of an energy savings state in response to a low traffic utilization condition detected by said second of said plurality of server devices in monitoring an absence of traffic that is to be transmitted by a third physical layer device in said second of said plurality of server devices to a fourth physical layer device in a second link partner device, said third physical layer device and said fourth physical layer device being couple by a network cable;
• determining, by said network management station using said first and second energy savings information, a level of utilization of said application service;
• and
• modifying an energy efficient control policy in said first of said plurality of server devices based on said determination, wherein said energy efficient control policy controls an entry by said first hardware subsystem into said energy saving state.