Methods and apparatus for reducing energy consumption of network equipment

Abstract

In some embodiments, an equipment unit has a set of visual indicators, a power switch, and a set of compute components. The power switch receives a signal representing a status such that when the status is in a first mode, the power switch provides power to the set of visual indicators and when the status is in a second mode the power switch does not provide power to the set of visual indicators. The compute components are configured to receive power when the power switch does not provide power to the set of visual indicators.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a plurality of visual indicators, each visual indicator from the plurality of visual indicators indicating a status of a network port from a plurality of network ports;   a power rail;   a power switch operatively coupled to the power rail and the plurality of visual indicators, the power switch configured to provide power to the plurality of visual indicators via the power rail based on a first instruction;   a remote control switch configured to detect human presence; and   a power controller operatively coupled to the power switch and the remote control switch,   when the remote control switch detects human presence within an area associated with the plurality of visual indicators, the power controller configured to send the first instruction such that the power switch provides power to the plurality of visual indicators,   when the remote control switch detects a lack of human presence within the area associated with the plurality of visual indicators within a period of time, the power controller configured to send a second instruction such that the power switch withholds power to the plurality of visual indicators,   the power controller having a management interface port configured to be operatively coupled to a management interface device, the power controller configured to receive the first instruction and the second instruction from the management interface device through the management interface port.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of compute components operatively coupled to the power switch, the plurality of compute components configured to receive power when the power controller sends the second instruction to the power switch to withhold power to the plurality of visual indicators.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the power rail is a visual indicator power rail, the system further comprising:
 a general power rail operatively coupled to the power switch, the power switch having an input operatively coupled to the general power rail and an output operatively coupled to the visual indicator power rail.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of compute components operatively coupled to the power switch, and   a plurality of data processing units, each data processing unit from the plurality of data processing units including at least two visual indicators from the plurality of visual indicators and including at least one compute component from the plurality of compute components.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of compute components operatively coupled to the power switch, and   a plurality of data processing units, each data processing unit from the plurality of data processing units including at least one compute component from the plurality of compute components, each data processing unit from the plurality of data processing units including a set of network ports from the plurality of network ports,   each port from the set of network ports for each data processing unit from the plurality of data processing units including a first visual indicator from the plurality of visual indicators associated with a link status for that network port and a second visual indicator from the plurality of visual indicators associated with an activity status for that network port.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the power controller configured to send the second instruction to the power switch to withhold power to the plurality of visual indicators based on a signal from the remote control switch.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the power switch is a first power switch,   the power controller configured to be operatively coupled to a plurality of power switches including the first power switch, each power switch from the plurality of power switches being included in an equipment unit from a plurality of equipment units,   the power controller configured to send the second instruction to each power switch from the plurality of power switches when the remote control switch detects the lack of human presence within the area from the plurality of visual indicators within the period of time.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the power switch is a first power switch,   the power controller configured to be operatively coupled to a plurality of power switches including the first power switch, each power switch from the plurality of power switches being included in an equipment unit from a plurality of equipment units,   the power controller configured to send the first instruction to a first subset of power switches from the plurality of power switches, when the remote control switch detects human presence within the area associated with the plurality of visual indicators for each power switch from the first subset of power switches,   the power controller configured to send the second instruction to a second subset of power switches from the plurality of power switches mutually exclusive from the first subset of power switches, when the remote control switch detects the lack of human presence within the area associated with the plurality of visual indicators within the period of time for each power switch from the second subset of power switches.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a physical control switch operatively coupled to the power controller, the physical control switch configured to send the second instruction to the power controller.   
     
     
         10 . A system, comprising:
 a plurality of equipment units, each equipment unit from the plurality of equipment units including a plurality of visual indicators and a power switch operatively coupled to a power rail and the plurality of visual indicators, the power switch for each equipment unit from the plurality of equipment units configured to provide power to the plurality of visual indicators for that equipment unit via the power rail based on a first instruction; and   a power controller operatively coupled to the power switch for each equipment unit from the plurality of equipment units and a remote control switch, the remote control switch configured to detect human presence,   when the remote control switch detects human presence within an area associated with the plurality of visual indicators, the power controller configured to send the first instruction to the power switch for each equipment unit from the plurality of equipment units to provide power to the plurality of visual indicators for that equipment unit,   when the remote control switch detects a lack of human presence within the area associated with the plurality of visual indicators within a period of time, the power controller configured to send a second instruction to the power switch for each equipment unit from the plurality of equipment units to withhold power to the plurality of visual indicators for that equipment unit,   the power controller having a management interface port configured to be operatively coupled to a management interface device, the power controller configured to receive the first instruction and the second instruction from the management interface device through the management interface port.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein each equipment unit from the plurality of equipment units includes a plurality of compute components operatively coupled to the power switch for that equipment unit, the plurality of compute components for that equipment unit configured to receive power when the power controller sends the second instruction to the power switch for that equipment unit to withhold power to the plurality of visual indicators for that equipment unit. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the power rail is a visual indicator power rail, and   the power switch for each equipment unit from the plurality of equipment units is configured to be operatively coupled to a general power rail, the power switch for that equipment unit having an input operatively coupled to the general power rail and an output operatively coupled to the visual indicator power rail.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein
 each equipment unit from the plurality of equipment units includes a plurality of network ports, and   each network port from the plurality of network ports for each equipment unit from the plurality of equipment units includes a first visual indicator from the plurality of visual indicators for that equipment unit associated with a link status for that network port and a second visual indicator from the plurality of visual indicators for that equipment unit associated with an activity status for that network port.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the power controller configured to send the second instruction to the power switch for each equipment unit from the plurality of equipment units to withhold power to the plurality of visual indicators for that equipment unit based on a signal from the remote control switch.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the power controller is configured to be operatively coupled to a plurality of power switches, each equipment unit from the plurality of equipment units including a power switch from the plurality of power switches,   the power controller is configured to send the second instruction to each power switch from the plurality of power switches when the remote control switch detects a lack of human presence within the area associated with the plurality of visual indicators within the period of time for each equipment unit from the plurality of equipment units.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the power controller is configured to be operatively coupled to a plurality of power switches, each equipment unit from the plurality of equipment units including a power switch from the plurality of power switches,   the power controller is configured to send the first instruction to a first subset of power switches from the plurality of power switches, when the remote control switch detects human presence within the area associated with the plurality of visual indicators for each power switch from the first subset of power switches,   the power controller is configured to send the second instruction to a second subset of power switches from the plurality of power switches mutually exclusive from the first subset of power switches, when the remote control switch detects a lack of human presence within the area associated with the plurality of visual indicators within the period of time for each power switch from the second subset of power switches.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a physical control switch operatively coupled to the power controller, the physical control switch configured to send the second instruction to the power controller.   
     
     
         18 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, at a power controller of an equipment unit, a first signal from a remote control switch, the equipment unit including a power switch and a plurality of visual indicators, each visual indicator from the plurality of visual indicators indicating a status of a network port from a plurality of network ports of the equipment unit, the remote control switch configured to detect human presence, the power controller configured to be operatively coupled to a management interface device;   when the first signal represents a detection of human presence within an area associated with the plurality of visual indicators, sending a second signal to the power switch to provide power to the plurality of visual indicators via a power rail;   when the first signal represents a detection of lack of human presence within the area associated with the plurality of visual indicators within a period of time, sending a third signal to the power switch to withhold power to the plurality of visual indicators;   receiving an instruction from the management interface device   sending a fourth signal to the power switch to provide or withhold power to the plurality of visual indicators based on the instruction.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the equipment unit includes a plurality of compute components operatively coupled to the power switch, the method further comprising:
 when the first signal represents the detection of lack of human presence within the area associated with the plurality of visual indicators within the period of time, sending a fifth signal to the power switch to provide power to the plurality of compute components.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the power rail is a visual indicator power rail, and   the power switch is configured to be operatively coupled to a general power rail, the power switch having an input operatively coupled to the general power rail and an output operatively coupled to the visual indicator power rail.