Patent ID: 8422365

Claim:
A method of automatically controlling efficient operation of a plurality of network appliances operatively linked to share traffic within a network comprising: monitoring, by a network appliance capacity module located on a network appliance, the load of the network traffic on the network appliance; upon determining, by the network appliance capacity module, that the network traffic load on the network appliance exceeds a predetermined maximum load threshold level, the network appliance capacity module transmitting a signal to a network access control module (NACM) located on a nearest upstream switch, wherein the NACM is configured to generate a signal causing at least one of a plurality of network appliances connected to the switch and operating in stand-by mode to be awakened, and wherein the NACM is further configured to suspend an ability for additional network appliance to be awakened for a predetermined period of time; and distributing, in approximately equal portions, the network traffic among the plurality of network appliances that are awake.