Patent ID: 8487473

Claim:
A method in a system, the method comprising: determining a response time for a first power smoothing component and a second power smoothing component; assigning the first power smoothing component to a first tier of a hierarchical power smoothing environment having multiple tiers based at least in part on the response time of the first power smoothing component; assigning the second power smoothing component to a second tier of the hierarchical power smoothing environment based at least in part on the response time of the second power smoothing component; providing, from the first power smoothing component, power to one or more devices in the system in response to a peak in power usage by the one or more devices; providing, from the second power smoothing component, power to the one or more devices in response to the peak in power usage if the power smoothing component in the first tier is unable to provide sufficient power for the peak in power usage; and reducing performance of at least one of the one or more devices in response to the peak in power usage if the first and second power smoothing components are unable to provide sufficient power for the peak in power usage, while continuing to provide power for the one or more devices.