Method and system for power control based on data flow awareness in a packet network switch

Abstract

Certain aspects of a method and system for a power control based on application awareness in a packet network switch are provided. Data communication flow may be monitored in ports in a packet network switch based on packet classification. Ports where data flow is not detected may have at least some functionality disabled to reduce power consumption. In this regard, a power saving mode may be utilized for disabling at least some functionality in a switch port, such as Ethernet ports, for example. A partially disabled port may be fully enabled when monitoring detects active data communication flow in that port. Port functionality may be enabled or disabled sequentially, for example. In some instances, a physical layer portion of the packet network switch may be utilized to adjust power in a port based on the data communication flow.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 detecting presence of a traffic loop in a port of a network switch; and   responsive to detecting the presence of the traffic loop, disabling functionality of the port.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the port comprises an Ethernet port. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising enabling the functionality of the port when active data communication flow is detected for the port, wherein the port was previously disabled. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising tracking a frame handled by the network switch to determine identity of the frame and to enable occurrences of the frame in traffic of the port to be counted. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the tracking of the frame comprises performing a hashing operation on the frame to identify the frame. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the detecting of the presence of the traffic loop comprises determining whether a count of the occurrences of the frame in traffic of the port exceeds a defined threshold value. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the defined threshold value is set based on a type of frame received by the port. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disabling of the functionality of the port comprises disabling a portion of transmission functionality of the port. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disabling of the functionality of the port comprises limiting a transmission data rate of the port to a specified transmission data rate. 
     
     
         10 . A system comprising
 one or more circuits of a network switch operable to detect presence of a traffic loop in a port of a network switch; and   one or more circuits of the network switch operable to disable functionality of the port responsive to detecting the presence of the traffic loop.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the port comprises an Ethernet port. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising one or more circuits of the network switch operable to enable the functionality of the port when active data communication flow is detected for the port, wherein the port was previously disabled. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising one or more circuits of the network switch operable to track a frame handled by the network switch to determine identity of the frame and to enable occurrences of the frame in traffic of the port to be counted. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein detection of the presence of the traffic loop comprises determining whether a count of the occurrences of the frame in traffic of the port exceeds a defined threshold value. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the defined threshold value is set based on a type of frame received by the port. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein disabling the functionality of the port comprises disabling a portion of transmission functionality of the port. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein disabling the functionality of the port comprises limiting a transmission data rate of the port to a specified transmission data rate. 
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions, that when executed by a hardware processor, cause the processor to:
 detect presence of a traffic loop in a port of a network switch; and   responsive to detecting the presence of the traffic loop, disable functionality of the port.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , the executable instructions further causing the processor to track a frame handled by the network switch to determine identity of the frame and to enable occurrences of the frame in traffic of the port to be counted. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein detection of the presence of the traffic loop comprises determining whether a count of the occurrences of the frame in traffic of the port exceeds a defined threshold value.