Patent ID: 8340111

Claim:
A network switch, comprising: a plurality of ports that are configured to receive and transmit network traffic, the plurality of ports being configurable in a power-on mode and a power-off mode; a management port assigned as a member of a management network, the management port configured to transmit traffic load indications for the plurality of ports to the management network in response to a traffic polling request from the management network when the management port is in the power-on mode and a transmitting portion of the management port is powered on, and configured in a passive receiving mode in which a receiving portion of the management port remains powered on and the transmitting portion of the management port remains powered off to receive instructions when the plurality of ports are configured in the power-off mode in which at least transmitting portions of the plurality of ports stay powered off before the management port receives a power-on instruction from the management network; and a power controller configured to control at least one of the plurality of ports to enter the power-on mode in response to the power-on instruction received by the management port.