# US 8,543,858 B2 · System and method for managing network devices that deliver an application service using energy savings information > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,543,858 B2 - Document ID: US8543858B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/854,938 - Filed: 2010-08-12 - Published: 2011-10-13 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2010-04-07 - Assignees: Broadcom Corporation - Applicants: Wael William Diab; David Berry - Inventors: Wael William Diab; David Berry - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8543858B2 ## CPC - G06F 1/3203: Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode - H04L 12/12: Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof - H04L 41/0833: for reduction of network energy consumption - H04L 43/0876: Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level - H04L 41/0213: Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP] - Y02D 30/00: Reducing energy consumption in communication networks - Y02D 30/50: in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract A system and method for energy efficient Ethernet (EEE) enhanced information technology power management tools. EEE-based computing center resources are designed to monitor energy savings events hardware components (e.g., physical layer device) included within the computing center resource. Energy saving statistics based on such monitoring can be provided to a power management tool. This monitoring information enables the power management tool to make broad service-level energy savings decisions on actual network activity. In addition, feedback based on the broad service-level energy savings decisions can be provided to the EEE-based computing center resources for consideration by their individual EEE control policies. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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 physical layer device in said first of said plurality of server devices, said first physical layer device being coupled to a first media access control device in said first of said plurality of server devices, said first physical layer device also being coupled to a second physical layer device in a first link partner device via a first network cable, said first energy savings information being generated by said first of said plurality of server devices based upon use by said first physical layer device of an energy savings state in response to a low traffic utilization condition detected by said first of said plurality of server devices; receiving, by said network management station from a second of said plurality of server devices, second energy savings information for a third physical layer device in said second of said plurality of server devices, said third physical layer device being coupled to a second media access control device in said second of said plurality of server devices, said third physical layer device also being coupled to a fourth physical layer device in a second link partner device via a second network cable, said second energy savings information being generated by said second of said plurality of server devices based upon use by said third physical layer device of an energy savings state in response to a low traffic utilization condition detected by said second of said plurality of server devices; determining, by said network management station, a level of utilization of said application services 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving comprises receiving statistics of entry by said first physical layer device into an energy savings state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said switching comprises switching off one of said first of said plurality of server devices and said second of said plurality of server device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said determining is performed by a power management application run on said network management station. ### Claim 5 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said energy savings information is network port information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said energy savings information is chip information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said energy savings information is circuit board information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said energy savings information is server system information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said energy savings information is server rack information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said receiving comprises receiving statistics of entry into an energy savings state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said switching comprises switching off one of said first of said plurality of server devices and said second of said plurality of server devices. ### Claim 13 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. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said receiving comprises receiving power saving statistics, said power saving statistics including an amount of time a hardware subsystem remained in an energy savings state during a measurement interval. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said modifying comprises changing a level of aggressiveness of said energy efficient control policy in said first of said plurality of server devices. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said energy savings information is network port information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said energy savings information is chip information. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said energy savings information is circuit board information. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said energy savings information is server system information. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said energy savings information is server rack information.