Patent ID: 7478251
Filing Date: 2009-01-13
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. In power sourcing equipment that manages distribution of power and data over a network, a method comprising: receiving a signal from a power source, the signal indicating a transition of the power source switching from a primary power input to a backup power supply to provide continuous power to the power sourcing equipment during a failure on the primary power input; utilizing a current configuration of the network to identify a priority of providing backup power through ports of the power sourcing equipment; in response to receiving the signal, selectively providing power through the ports to respective network devices to provision power depending on the identified priority; receiving configuration information that identifies network devices currently coupled to ports of the power sourcing equipment; receiving power backup information associated with network devices potentially coupled to the power sourcing equipment; and utilizing a powering/de-powering algorithm to process the configuration information and the power backup information to identify an associated priority of providing backup power to the network devices coupled to respective ports of the power sourcing equipment.