Patent ID: 8897314

Claim:
A network switch, comprising: a plurality of circuit portions configured to at least one of receive, switch and transmit network traffic, at least some circuit portions of the network switch being configurable in a power-on mode and a power-off mode and to communicate with a terminal device: a management port assigned as a member of a management network, the management port configured to: communicate with another switch in a network, receive traffic polling requests from other switches coupled to the network switch that is an edge switch via the management port of the management network, and to transmit traffic load indications to the management network in response to the traffic polling request when a transmitting portion of the management port is powered on, and receive instructions from the management network in a passive receiving mode when a receiving portion of the management port remains powered on and at least the transmitting portion remains powered off until the management port receives a power-on instruction from the management network; and a power controller configured to control at least one of the circuit portions that is in the power-off mode to enter the power-on mode in response to the power-on instruction received by the management port.