Rack level power management for power over Ethernet

1. A method for rapidly powering a plurality of power over Ethernet ports, the method comprising:

inputting an indication of available power;

allocating a power budget to each of a first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, each of said power over Ethernet devices powering at least one power over Ethernet port, said power budget being a function of said indication of available power;

transmitting, in the event that said indication of available power is greater than a first predetermined amount, an enabling command to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said command enabling the powering of ports of a first priority associated with said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices powering ports of said first priority within said power budget; and

transmitting, in the event that said indication of an amount of available power is not greater than said first predetermined amount, an enabling command to one of a single power over Ethernet device and a second plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said second plurality being a subset of said first plurality, said command enabling the powering of ports of said first priority associated with said one of a single power over Ethernet device and a second plurality of power over Ethernet devices, each of said one of a single power over Ethernet device and a second plurality of power over Ethernet devices powering ports of said first priority within said power budget.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said power budget is allocated equally to all of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said power budget is allocated to each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices as a function of the number of ports per power over Ethernet device.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said power budget is allocated to each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices as a function of priority of ports associated with each power over Ethernet device.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said first predetermined amount is a function of inrush current associated with at least one power over Ethernet port.

6. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising after said transmitting an enabling command:

monitoring an indication of power consumption; and

in the event said monitored indication of power consumption has stabilized:

allocating an updated power budget to each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said power budget being a function of said available power and said monitored indication of power consumption.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein said stabilization of said indication of power consumption is determined by fuzzy logic.

8. A method according to claim 6 , wherein said stabilization of said indication of power consumption is determined by comparing the rate of change of said monitored indication of power consumption with a second predetermined limit.

9. A method according to claim 6 , further comprising after said allocating an updated power budget:

transmitting an enabling command to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said command enabling the powering of ports of a second priority associated with said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices powering ports of said second priority within said updated power budget, said second priority being lower than said first priority.

10. A method according to claim 6 , further comprising after said allocating an updated power budget:

inputting an updated indication of available power;

in the event that said updated indication of available power is greater than said first predetermined amount,

transmitting an enabling command to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said command enabling the powering of ports of a second priority associated with said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices powering ports of said second priority within said updated power budget, said second priority being lower than said first priority.

11. A method according to claim 10 , where said indication of available power is a function of power allocated by at least one power over Ethernet device.

12. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

inputting an indication of one of total power consumption and total power allocation;

comparing said indication of one of total power consumption and total power allocation with a third predetermined amount; and

in the event said indication of one of total power consumption and total power allocation exceeds said third predetermined amount;

transmitting a command to stop powering additional ports to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices.

13. A method according to claim 12 , wherein said third predetermined amount is associated with a guard band for the plurality of power over Ethernet devices.

14. A system for powering a plurality of power over Ethernet ports, the system comprising:

at least one power source;

a power manager receiving an indication of power available from said at least one power source

a first plurality of power over Ethernet devices responsive to said power manager and arranged to receive power from said at least one power source, each of said power over Ethernet devices being operable to supply power for at least one power over Ethernet pod associated therewith;

said power manager being operative to:

allocate a power budget to each of a first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said power budget being a function of said indication of available power;

transmit in the event that said indication of available power is greater than a first predetermined amount, an enabling command for ports of a first priority to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices being operable responsive to said transmitted enabling command to enable the powering of power over Ethernet ports associated therewith having said first priority, each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices powering ports of said first priority within said power budget; and

transmit, in the event that said indication of an amount of available power is not greater than said first predetermined amount, an enabling command for ports of said first priority to one of a single power over Ethernet device and a second plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said second plurality being a subset of said first plurality, said one of a single power over Ethernet device and a second plurality of power over Ethernet devices being operable responsive to said enabling command to enable the powering of nods of said first priority associated therewith, each of said one of a single power over Ethernet device and a second plurality of power over Ethernet devices powering ports of said first priority within said power budget.

15. A system according to claim 14 , wherein said power budget is allocated equally to all of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices.

16. A system according to claim 14 , wherein said power budget is allocated to each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices as a function of the number of ports per power over Ethernet device.

17. A system according to claim 14 , wherein said power budget is allocated to each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices as a function of priority of ports associated with each power over Ethernet device.

18. A system according to claim 14 , wherein said first predetermined amount is a function of inrush current associated with at least one power over Ethernet port.

19. A system according to claim 14 , wherein said power manager is further operable to:

monitor an indication of power consumption; and

in the event said monitored indication of power consumption has stabilized:

allocate an updated power budget to each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said power budget being a function of said available power and said monitored indication of power consumption.

20. A system according to claim 19 , wherein said stabilization of said indication of power consumption is determined by fuzzy logic.

21. A system according to claim 19 , wherein said stabilization of said indication of power consumption is determined by said power manager being operable to compare the rate of change of power consumption with a second predetermined limit.

22. A system according to claim 19 , wherein said power manager is further operative to transmit an enabling command for ports of a second priority to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said power over Ethernet devices being operable responsive to said received command to enable the powering of ports of a second priority associated with said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices within said updated power budget, said second priority being lower than said first priority.

23. A system according claim 19 , wherein said power manager is further operative in the event said monitored indication that power consumption has stabilized to:

input an updated indication of available power;

in the event that said updated indication of available power is greater than said first predetermined amount,

transmit an enabling command for ports of a second priority to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices being operative responsive to said enabling command to power ports of said second priority within said updated power budget, said second priority being lower than said first priority.

24. A system according to claim 14 , wherein said power manager is further operative to:

input an indication of total power consumption;

compare said indication of total power consumption with a third predetermined amount; and

in the event said indication of total power consumption exceeds said third predetermined amount;

transmit a command to stop powering additional ports to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices.

25. A system according to claim 24 , wherein said third predetermined amount is associated with a guard band for the plurality of power over Ethernet devices.

26. A system for powering a plurality of power over Ethernet ports, the system comprising:

at least one power source;

a plurality of power over Ethernet devices circuits receiving power from said at least one power source, each of said power over Ethernet devices controlling power for at least one power over Ethernet port;

a power manager receiving an indication of power availability and power consumption from said at least one power source;

said power manager being operative to:

transmit a power allocation to each of said plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said power allocation being a function of said indication of power availability;

transmit an enabling command for ports of a first priority to said plurality of power over Ethernet devices;

monitor said indication of power consumption from said at least one power source; and

transmit in the event that the rate of change of said monitored power consumption indication is less than a predetermined amount and additional power is available responsive to said monitored indication of power consumption, an enabling command for ports of a second priority to said plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said second priority being lower than said first priority.

27. A system according to claim 26 , wherein said at least one power source comprises a plurality of power sources.

28. A system according to claim 27 , wherein said indication of power availability is responsive to an output of each of said plurality of power sources.

29. A method for rapidly powering a plurality of power over Ethernet ports, the method comprising:

inputting an indication of available power;

allocating a power budget to each of a first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, each of said power over Ethernet devices powering at least one power over Ethernet port, said power budget being a function of said indication of available power;

transmitting an enabling command for ports of a first priority to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices powering ports of said first priority within said power budget;

monitoring an indication of power consumption until said monitored indication of power consumption has stabilized to a rate of change less than a predetermined amount;

allocating an updated power budget to each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said power budget being a function of said available power and said monitored indication of power consumption; and

transmitting, in the event that additional power is available responsive to said monitored power indication of power consumption, an enabling command for ports of a second priority to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said second priority being lower than said first priority.

30. A method for rapidly powering a plurality of power over Ethernet ports, the method comprising:

inputting an indication of available power;

allocating a power budget to each of a first plurality of power over Ethernet devices as a function of the number of ports per power over Ethernet device, each of said power over Ethernet devices powering at least one power over Ethernet port, said power budget being further a function of said indication of available power; and

transmitting, in the event that said indication of available power is greater than a first predetermined amount, an enabling command to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said command enabling the powering of ports of a first priority associated with said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices powering ports of said first priority within said power budget.

31. A system for powering a plurality of power over Ethernet ports, the system comprising:

at least one power source;

a power manager receiving an indication of power available from said at least one power source

a first plurality of power over Ethernet devices responsive to said power manager and arranged to receive power from said at least one power source, each of said power over Ethernet devices being operable to supply power for at least one power over Ethernet port associated therewith;

said power manager being operative to:

allocate a power budget to each of a first plurality of power over Ethernet devices as a function of the number of ports per power over Ethernet device, said power budget being further a function of said indication of available power; and

in the event that said indication of available power is greater than a first predetermined amount,

transmit an enabling command for ports of a first priority to said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices, said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices being operable responsive to said transmitted enabling command to enable the powering of power over Ethernet ports associated therewith having said first priority, each of said first plurality of power over Ethernet devices powering ports of said first priority within said power budget.