Patent ID: 8392729

Claim:
A method, in a data processing system, for oversubscribing branch circuits, the method comprising: determining, by an active energy management mechanism in the data processing system, a cumulative wattage rating using power consumption information for a powered element, wherein the power consumption information is for to primary portion and a redundant portion of the powered element; determining, by the active energy management mechanism, a power reduction power cap to be used by the powered element in the event of a loss of either a primary power source or a redundant power source supplied to the powered element using the cumulative wattage rating, a branch circuit rating, and a circuit breaker rating for the powered element; sending, by the active energy management mechanism, the power reduction power cap to the powered element in order that the powered element reduces power to the power reduction power cap in the event of the loss of either the primary power source or the redundant power source supplied to the powered element; receiving, by a programming server/client in the data processing system, an indication of a mutually paired powered element that is paired to the powered element; responsive to a notification from the powered element that the powered element has lost either the primary power source, the redundant power source, or both the primary power source and the redundant power source and is operating on a time constrained battery backup, determining, by the programming server/client, whether the mutually paired powered element is fully operational; and responsive to the mutually paired powered element being fully operational, initializing, by the programming server/client, at least one of a operations or a data transfer from powered element to the mutually paired powered element.