Patent ID: 8731408

Claim:
A method for saving power in a fiber ports of a network system, comprising: at least one data processing device of the network system accessing, from memory coupled to said at least one data processing device, instructions causing said at least one data processing device to determine an instance of a period of inactivity for a fiber port of the network system; said at least one data processing device accessing, from said memory, instructions causing said at least one data processing device to terminate power delivery to a transmit laser of an SFP (small form-factor pluggable) device of the fiber port during at least a portion of the period of inactivity; said at least one data processing device accessing, from said memory, instructions causing said at least one data processing device to maintain power delivery to the SFP device while power delivery to the transmit laser is terminated; said at least one data processing device accessing, from said memory, instructions causing said at least one data processing device to determine when the period of inactivity has ended; said at least one data processing device accessing, from said memory, instructions causing said at least one data processing device to buffer a plurality of packets of information in response to determining that the period of inactivity has ended; and said at least one data processing device accessing, from said memory, instructions causing said at least one data processing device to discontinue said power delivery termination after buffering said packets.