Patent ID: 7793137

Claim:
A method for providing redundancy in a wired data telecommunications network, the method comprising: coupling a first interface of a first port of a redundancy selection device to a first port of a first network device, the first network device configured as a first power sourcing equipment (PSE) device; coupling a second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to a first port of a second network device, the second network device configured as a second PSE device; coupling a third interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to a first port of a third network device; coupling data and power communicated with the first interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device; detecting a failure in the flow of data and power; and activating the redundancy selection device in response to said detecting to subsequently couple data and power communicated over the second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface; wherein detecting a failure in the flow of data and power includes detecting a loss of power that originates from the first PSE device and is destined for the third network device, the third network device configured as a powered device (PD); and wherein activating the redundancy selection device in response to said detecting to subsequently couple data and power communicated over the second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface includes restoring power to the PD with power from the second PSE device.