Patent ID: 11971765
Assignee: HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT LP
Field: Digital communication (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  H  Y | IPC G  H

Claim 8:
9. A system comprising a plurality of Power Sourcing Equipments (PSEs) in a computer network, wherein each respective PSE comprises a processor and memory with instructions thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the respective PSE to perform a set of actions comprising:
receiving an electronic communication including a policy that specifies a set of rules for determining priority levels for Powered Devices (PDs) connected to the respective PSE, wherein the electronic communication does not specify individual priority levels for the PDs and the PSE uses the set of rules to assign the priority levels to the PDs and each of the rules is applicable to a class of PDs defined by the rule and is not specific to an individual PD, the priority levels being classifications assigned to the PDs by the respective PSE and used by the respective PSE in prioritizing power distribution over Ethernet for the computer network;
detecting that a set of PDs are connected to a set of ports located on the respective PSE via a set of the Ethernet cables;
receiving, from the set of PDs via the set of the Ethernet cables, identification information for the set of PDs;
assigning, at the respective PSE, priority levels to the PDs in the set of PDs by electronically comparing the identification information to the set of rules;
determining, based on the priority levels and a present level of available power for a portion of the computer network that includes the respective PSE, that power can presently be supplied to the complete set of PDs via the set of ports without violating the policy; and
in response to determining that power can presently be supplied to the complete set of PDs via the set of ports without violating the policy, supplying power to the complete set of PDs via the set of ports and the set of Ethernet cables.