A METHOD AND SYSTEMS FOR OPERATING A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK BASED ON ENERGY STATUS
Field of the invention
5 The invention relates to a method, a system, a device, a first server, a second
server and a third server for operating a communications network. The invention
also relates to a computer program and a computer program product.
Background
In an implementation capable of operating a communications network energy
10 optimal routes are selected for data traffic.
These solutions are unspecific regarding type of data and do consider the
infrastructure of a communications network only partially.
EP2166777A1 discloses a network apparatus comprising a communication
interface that receives operational energy profile information of a network device
15 and traffic information of the network device. Network dimensioning and traffic
routes are derived by the calculating device in a way that minimizes energy
consumption using the operational energy profile information and the traffic
information.
EP1931113A 1 discloses a load balancer that obtains power consumption
20 rates of servers and in order to minimizes energy consumption identifies a class
of servers associated with the lowest rate of power consumption when
processing a particular type of network communication. The load balancer may
further narrow the selection to a reduced class of servers by identifying
individual resources or services being requested.
25 Tompros S. et al: "Enabling applicability of energy saving applications on the
appliances of the home environment", IEEE Network, IEEE Service Center, New
York, NY, US, vol. 23, no. 6, 1 November 2009, pages 8-16, XP011285839
discloses an energy saving architecture of appliances in which the total sum of
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
2
energy consumed by internal electronic components of the appliance while in
function in a user program is estimated and an operating mode of the appliance
is controlled to new description page 1 a
5 meet an overall energy consumption target.
10
US 2010/0103955A1 discloses a method in which a controller generates a
power state message that configures the power consumption of one or more
components of a set of components from a first power amount to a second
powered amount for a time period to optimize power saving.
Summary
The object of the invention is thus to provide an energy efficiency
management of a cloud native infrastructure, i.e. an optical network and
corresponding information technology infrastructure.
15 The main idea of the invention is to operate a communications network,
wherein at least one energy characteristic status of said communications
network is determined, and wherein an operating mode, in particular a power
consumption setting, of a device forming part of said communications network is
influenced depending on said at least one energy characteristic status. This way
20 the power consumption of said communications network is influenced, i.e.
maintained, reduced or increased, by influencing the power consumption of
individual devices of said communications network depending on the energy
characteristic status, i.e. the actual energy consumption, of said communications
network.
25 Further developments of the invention can be gathered from dependent
claims and the following description.
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
3
Brief description of the figures
In the following the invention will be explained further making reference to the
attached drawings.
Fig. 1 schematically shows a part of a device.
5 Fig. 2 schematically shows a part of a communications network and a part of
an electrical power grid.
Fig. 3 schematically shows a part of a first server.
Fig. 4 schematically shows a part of a second server.
Fig. 5 schematically shows a part of a third server.
10 Fig. 6 schematically shows a flow chart.
Description of the embodiments
Figure 1 shows a part of a device 100, in particular an electrical device, for
operating a communications network.
Said device 100 comprises of a first processor 101, a first power meter 102
15 and a first network device 103 that are connected via a data link.
Furthermore said device 100 comprises a power supply 104 that is adapted to
receive electrical power from outside of said device 100 and distribute said
electrical power to said first processor 101, said first power meter 102 and said
first network device 103.
20 Copper wires are for example used for distributing said electrical power inside
of said device 1 00 and are not displayed in figure 1.
Furthermore said device 100 is adapted to operate in different operating
mode, in particular power consumption settings.
Said power consumption settings include but are not limited to the states: off,
5
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
4
on, stand-by, power saving. Said power consumption settings are for example
mapped to a power consumption characteristic, e.g. an actual power
consumption, of said device 100 as follows:
power consumption setting -> actual power consumption
off -> 1mW,
on -> 1kW,
stand-by -> 1W,
power saving -> 500W.
Said power consumption settings are associated with features or capabilities
10 referred to as energy characteristic of said device 100 below.
15
For example said first processor 101 is adapted to operate at different data
processing characteristics, e.g. clock rates, depending on the power
consumption setting. For example said clock rates map to said power
consumptions settings as follows:
power consumption setting -> clock rate
off -> 1MHz,
on -> 3GHz,
stand-by -> 100M Hz,
power saving -> 1GHz.
20 For example said first network device 1 03 is adapted to operate at different
data transmission characteristics, e.g. transfer rates depending on the power
consumption setting. For example said transfer rates map to said power
consumptions settings as follows:
power consumption setting -> transfer rates
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
5
off -> 128KBit/s,
on -> 100GBit/s,
stand-by -> 128KBit/s,
power saving -> 10GBit/s.
5 Furthermore said device 100 is adapted to receive information for influencing
said operating mode, in particular said power consumption setting, of said
device 100.
For example said first network device 1 03 is adapted to receive a first
message comprising said information for influencing said operating mode.
1 0 Said information for influencing said operating mode is for example an
individual power target. Said individual power target is for example an upper limit
of 750W for the allowed power consumption.
Additionally said device 100 is adapted to influence said operating mode, in
particular said power consumption setting, of said device 100 depending on said
15 information for influencing said operating mode.
For example said first processor 101 is adapted to extract said upper limit of
750W from said first message, find the highest power consumption setting that
is still below or equal to said upper limit, in this case "power saving" and to
change said clock rate of said first processor 101 and said transfer rate of said
20 first network device 103 according to the mapping given above, i.e. to 1 Ghz and
10GBit/s.
Said first power meter 1 02 is adapted to measure an energy consumption of
said device 100, e.g. in Watts.
Furthermore said first processor 101 is adapted to determine a second
25 message containing information about a current status, e.g. a current operating
mode and a current energy consumption, of said device 100 and send it via said
first network device 103.
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
6
Said second message is contains for example a string identifying said current
operating mode setting, i.e. "stand-by", "power-save", "on" or "off'.
Said second message is contains for example a string identifying said current
energy consumption, e.g. a reading of said first power meter 102 in Watts.
5 Said second message comprises for example a list of current operating mode
and current power consumption, e.g. "power save, 500W".
Said current actual power consumption of said device 1 00, is for example
determined from momentary value of real time or close to real time readings of
said first power meter 1 02.
10 To that end said first power meter 102 is adapted to determine said readings
in said predetermined time intervals.
As described above, changing said operating mode may affect said energy
characteristic, e.g. power consumption, clock rate or transfer rate. Therefore
said energy characteristic is considered a predetermined attribute of said device
15 100. Said predetermined attribute is for example said power consumption
characteristic, said data processing characteristic or said data transmission
characteristic.
Said communications network may be referred to as cloud, cloud native
infrastructure or cloud communications network.
20 According to an example depicted in Figure 2, said communications network
comprises of multiple of said devices 100. Each of said devices 100 may be
identified using an unique network identification, e.g. a Media Access Control
Address.
Said devices 100 are for example servers, routers, storage systems,
25 measurement systems optical or electrical amplifiers, in general any type of
device forming part of the information technology infrastructure or network
infrastructure of said communications network.
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
7
Said devices 1 00 may also be any other type of network elements having
multiple operating modes. For example said devices 100 may be optical or
electrical cables including circuitry for operating them.
Additionally to said first processor 101, said first power meter 102, said first
5 network device 1 03 and said power supply 104, said devices 100 are adapted
according to their specific task.
Said servers are for example computers additionally equipped with volatile
and non-volatile storage.
Said routers are for example computers additionally equipped with multiple
10 network interfaces and volatile and non-volatile storage.
Said storage systems are for example computers additionally equipped with
non-volatile storage and hard disks.
Said measurement systems are for example computers additionally adapted
to measure performance characteristics of said routers, servers or network
15 elements, for example bandwidth or latency.
Said devices 1 00 are connected in said communications network via data
links. Said data links are depicted in Figure 2 as dashed lines. Said data links
connect said devices 100 either directly or indirectly, via one or more other
devices 100. Said direct or indirect data links are depicted in Figure 2 as a cloud.
20 Said data links comprise for example routers, switches and data cables like
optical fibers or copper wires. Said data links may also be wireless links.
Connections between said devices 100 in said communications network are
for example established according to the transmission control protocol/ internet
protocol (well known as TCPIIP), or any other suitable protocol, e.g. according to
25 the Ethernet or IEEE 802.11 standard.
Said devices 100 are also connected to an electrical power grid. Power links
of said electrical power grid are depicted in Figure 2 as solid lines. Said electrical
power grid provides energy in form of electrical power to said devices 1 00 via
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
8
said power links.
According to the example, all devices 100 are operated by one operator and
connected to the same communications network and the same electrical power
grid.
5 Alternatively all devices 100 that are operated by one operator are connected
to a sub-network of said communications network and a sub-network of said
electrical power grid. The invention applies to both cases likewise.
In Figure 3 shows a first server 300 comprising a second processor 301, a
second network device 302 and a data base 303.
10 Said second processor 301, said second network device 302 and said data
base 303 are connected via a data link, e.g. a data bus.
As shown in Figure 2, said first server 300 is adapted to connect to said
communications network via said second network device 302.
Connections between said devices 100 and said first server 300 in said
15 communications network are for example established according to the
transmission control protocol/ internet protocol (well known as TCPIIP), or any
other suitable protocol, e.g. according to the Ethernet or IEEE 802.11 standard.
Said first server 300 is adapted to receive one or more of said second
messages comprising said current status of said device 100 from respective
20 devices 1 00.
In case multiple second messages are used said first server 300 is adapted to
associate and store said current status of a particular device 100 with the unique
network identifier of the respective device 100.
Said first server 300 may additionally be adapted to store information about
25 said predetermined attribute, in particular said energy characteristic, of at least
one of said devices 100, in said data base 303.
For example said first server 300 is adapted to store said mappings of said
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
9
power consumption setting to said power consumption characteristic, said clock
rate or said transfer rate for all of said devices 1 00 and associate them with the
respective unique network identifier.
Furthermore said first server 300 is adapted to receive information about a
5 predetermined power consumption target, in a third message.
Said information about said predetermined power consumption target is for
example a target value for the power consumption in Watts.
Said predetermined power consumption target is for example a target value
for the power consumption of said communications network as a whole.
10 Alternatively or additionally said predetermined power consumption target
may be an upper limit for the power consumption, e.g. a power supply available
to said communications network.
Alternatively or additionally multiple predetermined power consumption
targets may be used to specify targets for one or more of said devices 1 00
15 specifically using the respective unique network identifier.
Said first server 300 is adapted to determine at least one energy
characteristic status.
Said first server 300 is for example adapted to determine said at least one
energy characteristic status depending on at least one of said second
20 messages.
Alternatively said first server 300 is for example adapted to determine said at
least one energy characteristic status depending on said predetermined power
consumption target.
Said at least one energy characteristic status is for example determined as
25 the sum of all current energy consumptions of all devices 100.
Alternatively said least one energy characteristic status may for example be
an average current power consumption of said communications network
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
10
determined for a certain point in time from historic values of energy consumption
over time.
Additionally said first server 300 is adapted to determine said information for
influencing said operating mode, in particular said power consumption setting, of
5 at least one of said devices 1 00 depending on said at least one energy
characteristic status.
Furthermore said first server 300 is adapted to determine said information for
influencing said operating mode depending on said information about said
predetermined power consumption target.
1 0 Said first server 300 is for example adapted to determine said power
consumption setting depending on said target value for the power consumption
of said communications network as a whole.
Furthermore said first server 300 is adapted to determine said information for
influencing said operating mode, in particular said power consumption setting, of
15 said device 1 00 depending on said at least one energy characteristic status.
Said first server 300 is for example adapted to determine said power
consumption setting depending on said current operating mode or said current
energy consumption of said device 100.
Furthermore said first server 300 is adapted to determine said information for
20 influencing said operating mode depending on said predetermined attribute, in
particular said energy characteristic of said device 100. Said energy
characteristic is for example said power consumption characteristic, said data
processing characteristic or said data transmission characteristic, of said device
100.
25 Furthermore said first server 300 is adapted to send said information for
influencing said operating mode to said device 100 in said first message.
Said electrical power grid additionally comprises a generator 201 supplying
electrical energy to said electrical power grid.
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
11
Energy that is provided by said generator 201 to said electrical power grid is
measured using a second power meter 202. Said second power meter 202
measures for example the power output of said generator 201 in Watts. Methods
for measuring energy that is provided, e.g. power output of generators, are well
5 known to a person skilled in the art and not further explained here.
Said predetermined power consumption target is determined by a second
server 400.
Said second server 400 is depicted in Figure 4 and comprises a third
processor 401, a third network device 402 and a first storage 403. Said third
10 processor 401, said third network device 402 and said first storage 403 are
connected via a data link, e.g. a data bus.
As shown in Figure 2, said second server 400 is adapted to connect to said
communications network via said third network device 402.
Connections between said first server 300 and said second server 400 in said
15 communications network are for example established according to the
transmission control protocol/ internet protocol (well known as TCP/IP), or any
other suitable protocol, e.g. according to the Ethernet or IEEE 802.11 standard.
Said predetermined power consumption target is for example said target
value for the power consumption of said communications network as a whole
20 and is determined from said historic data of said communications network.
Said predetermined power consumption target is for example determined
manually, by said operator of said electrical power grid or autonomic depending
on said power supply available to said communications network and an average
energy consumption of each of said devices 100.
25 Said average energy consumption of each of said devices 1 00 varies for
example depending on the time of day or day of week and is for example
available from said historic data.
Alternatively for autonomic determination auto-learning of said energy
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
12
characteristic or said average energy consumption, may be implemented.
Said historic data of said communications network is for example determined
by averaging multiple readings of said second power meter 202 that were taken
in predetermined time intervals, e.g. of 1 minute.
5 Said target value for the power consumption for example is selected
automatically to the same value that said historic data contains for the current
day of week and time of day.
Said second power meter 202 is adapted to determine said readings in Watts
in said predetermined time intervals and send a fourth message for example
10 comprising numeric strings indicating the Watts read to said second server 400.
Connections between said second power meter 202 and said second server
400 in said communications network are for example established according to
the transmission control protocol/ internet protocol (well known as TCPIIP), or
any other suitable protocol, e.g. according to the Ethernet or IEEE 802.11
15 standard.
Alternatively said fourth message is sent from said second power meter 202
to said second server 400 directly, via a private data link. In this case said
second server 400 comprises an additional network interface adapted to receive
said fourth message via said private data link.
20 According to Figure 2 multiple generators 201 supply electrical energy to said
electrical power grid. Hence multiple power meters 202 are connected to
respective generators 201 to measure the respective power output.
Alternatively said electrical power grid may comprise of only one generator
201 supplying electrical energy to said electrical power grid.
25 Alternatively energy that is provided to said electrical power grid may be
measured using only one power meter 202.
Alternatively or additionally said electrical power grid may be connected to a
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
13
public power network supplying electrical energy to said electrical power grid.
Alternatively or additionally energy that is provided to said electrical power
grid from said public power network, may be measured using multiple power
meters that measure for example the power transferred from said public power
5 network to said electrical power grid respectively.
Alternatively or additionally information about said historic data, i.e. said
power consumption, of said communications network (as a whole) is for example
determined from measurements read from said multiple power meters, i.e. said
energy provided to said communications network via said public power network.
10 Said power consumption of said communications network is for example
determined from adding up the values of all readings of said multiple power
meters received in said fourth messages.
To this end said second server 400 is adapted to receive said fourth message
via said third network device 402, determine and said values of said readings of
15 said multiple power meters using said third processor 401 and store them on
said first storage 403. This means that said second server 400 is adapted to
determine the overall power consumption of the electrical power grid.
Goal of a first method depicted in a flowchart in figure 6 is a service aware
energy efficiency management of said communications network. This means
20 that all devices 100 of said communications network shall be operated in the
most energy efficient way that still allows maintaining a predetermined
requirement of said service, e.g. a predetermined quality of service, latency,
processing or bandwidth requirement.
Said service is for example an application that is provided using at least part
25 of said communications network.
Said service is for example an application provided in said communications
network on a third server 500.
In said first method said operating modes, e.g. said individual power targets
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
14
are determined depending on said predetermined requirement of said service.
Therefore said first server 300 is adapted to determine said operating modes,
e.g. said individual power targets for each of said devices 100 that form part of
said communications network depending on said predetermined requirement of
5 said service and said power consumption target.
To this end said first server 300 is adapted to receive a fifth message
comprising information about said predetermined requirement of said service, in
particular a data storage requirement, a data processing requirement, a data
transmission requirement or a power consumption requirement of said service.
10 Furthermore said first server 300 is adapted to determine said individual
power target for a device 100 and send it to said device 1 00 in said first
message using said unique identifier.
Said third server 500 is depicted in Figure 5 and comprises a fourth processor
501, a fourth network device 502 and a second storage 503. Said fourth
15 processor 501, said fourth network device 102 and said second storage 503 are
connected via a data link, e.g. a data bus.
Said second storage 503 comprises for example said predetermined
requirements of said service.
Furthermore said third server 500 is adapted to determine said fifth message,
20 comprising said predetermined requirements of said service using said fourth
processor 501.
Additionally said third server 500 is adapted to send said fifth message via
said fourth network device 502 to said first server 300.
As shown in Figure 2, said third server 500 is adapted to connect to said
25 communications network via said fourth network device 502.
Connections between said first server 300 and said third server 500 in said
communications network are for example established according to the
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
15
transmission control protocol/ internet protocol (well known as TCP/IP), or any
other suitable protocol, e.g. according to the Ethernet or IEEE 802.11 standard.
Said service is for example a data storage application. In this case said fifth
message comprises for example a string identifying said service and said
5 predetermined requirements.
10
15
Said data storage application is for example named "first service" and for
example requires access to maximum 5 Terabyte of storage capacity.
Exemplary keywords and values for this case are given in the following nonconclusive
enumeration:
Keyword Values
maximum storage size: ... , 1 00 Gbyte, ... , 1 OOTbyte, ...
minium bandwidth: .. . , 300 Mbit/s, ... , 1 00 Gbit/s, ...
maximum latency: ... , 20 millisecond, ... , 100 millisecond, ...
maximum access time: ... , 100 millisecond, ... , 1 minute, ...
In this case for example said fifth message contains said predetermined
requirement in a first structured list:
{(first service ),("storage service" ,"5Tbyte")}.
Said fifth message may instead be defined according to the Resource
20 Reservation Protocol -Traffic Engineering well known from IETF RFC 3209 or
RFC5151.
Said data storage application requires 5Tbyte of storage capacity, i.e. a
device 100 comprising storage means of at least the required size and devices
100 that allow said third server 500 to connect to said storage means. Neither
25 the type of said storage means nor the devices 100 used to connect to said
storage means are of importance.
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
16
Alternatively or additionally said service might require a certain bandwidth or
latency of one or more of said devices 100.
Said information about said predetermined requirement is for example a
string containing keywords and values. Exemplary keywords and values are
5 given in the following non-conclusive enumeration:
Keyword Values
type of device: "storage", "server", "router", ...
miniume bandwidth: ... , 300 Mbit/s, ... , 100 Gbit/s, ...
maximum latency: ... , 20 millisecond, ... , 100 millisecond, ...
10 maximum access time: ... , 100 millisecond, ... , 1 minute, ...
For example said predetermined requirement comprises a second structured
list:
{(first service),("type of device", "storage, router"),("maximum latency", "20
15 millisecond"}.
The invention applies likewise to any other service having any other type of
requirement and other protocols having other means to communicate said
predetermined requirement. For example said Resource Reservation Protocol -
Traffic Engineering might be used or extended.
20 Said devices 100 are for example controlled by said first server 300 using a
control strategy that controls said current energy consumption of each of said
devices 100 using the respective individual power target as actuating variable.
Control strategies that may be used are well known and some examples are
given below in a non-exhaustive list:
25 -Proportional-integral-derivative control (PID control),
- Sliding mode control (SMC control),
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
17
-Optimal control,
- Robust control.
Optionally any of said control mechanisms may be mixed with any other
control mechanism.
5 Said individual power targets are sent from said first server 300 to the
respective electrical device via said communications network in a said first
message comprising for example said upper limit of 750W.
This means that said power consumption of said communications network is
influenced, i.e. maintained, reduced or increased, by influencing, i.e.
10 maintaining, reducing or increasing, the power consumption of said devices 100
that form part of said communications network.
Methods for determining aforementioned messages or sending them are well
known to a person skilled in the art and not described further here.
The aforementioned messages with exception of said first message are sent
15 from their respective sender to said first server 300 frequently, e.g. every
500ms. Additionally or alternatively said first server 300 may be adapted to
request the sending from said respective senders. In this case said senders are
adapted to respond to such request by sending said requested messages.
Said first method is described below making reference to said flowchart
20 depicted in Figure 6.
Said first method starts, whenever said third message containing said
predetermined requirement of said service is received by said first server 300.
Said third message is for example sent by said third server 500 every time
said service is started on said third server.
25 After the start a step 601 is executed.
In said step 601 a test is performed to determine whether said second
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
18
message comprising said current status of said device 100 and said fifth
message comprising said predetermined power consumption target have been
received. In case said second message and said fifth message have been
received, a step 602 is executed. Otherwise a step 603 is executed.
5 In said step 603 a test is performed to check if a time-out condition is met. In
case said time-out condition is met, said first method ends. Optionally an error
message is send to an administrator or displayed via a graphical user interface.
Otherwise said step 601 is executed.
In said step 602, said individual power target is determined.
10 According to said first method, information about the capabilities of said
devices 100, i.e. information about said operating mode, and said predetermined
requirements from said service, i.e. Quality of service, bandwidth, latency,
storage capacity of said application, and said predetermined power consumption
target are used to determine which of said devices 100 and which routes
15 between them can be used to satisfy the application needs.
The information about the capabilities of said devices 100 is available from
infrastructure providers and stored in said data base 303.
In the example of the storage application, said predetermined requirement
comprises said second structured list:
20 {(first service),("type of device", "storage, router''),("maximum latency", "20
millisecond"}.
Said structured list is analyzed and from said data base 303 all devices that
match said predetermined requirement are selected. For example said
predetermined attribute, in particular said energy characteristic, i.e. said
25 mappings of said power consumption setting to said power consumption
characteristic, said clock rate or said transfer rate for all of said devices 1 00 are
used to determine the respective unique network identifier of devices 100
matching said predetermined requirement.
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
19
According to the example a cost function is determined using said
predetermined attributes, in particular said energy characteristics, of said
devices 100.
For example knowledge based model of traffic profile evolution in said
5 communications network may be used to define appropriate cost functions.
Said cost function is solved using an optimization algorithm to achieve energy
optimal solution. This means that energy optimal routes, servers, routers,
storage means are identified using the respective unique network identifier.
Optionally or additionally in order to minimize transition time, said cost
10 function may consider only new devices 100, e.g. new routers or servers, that
can be activated with as little transition time during deactivation/activation.
Afterwards a step 604 is executed.
In said step 604 said first message is determined and sent to said devices
1 00 using the respective unique network identifier.
15 To configure said devices 100 to the result of the energy optimal solution,
said devices 100 are informed of the operating mode.
Afterwards said first method ends.
Alternatively or additionally if multiple communications networks are
connected to each other, e.g. via gateways, signaling messages may be used in
20 order to allocate said devices 1 00 in any of said communications networks.
A second method for operating a communications network is describe below
making reference to Figure 6.
making reference to Figure 6.
Said second method starts as said first method.
25 Steps 601 to 604 of said second method are the same as the respective
steps of said first method and described in said first method above.
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
20
According to said second method, after said step 603 an additional step not
depicted in Figure 6 is executed.
In said additional step signaling messages are sent to all devices 100 that
require allocation or transition time in order to provide said service.
5 For example preemptive allocation, look ahead allocation or learning based
allocation are used to determine which devices to allocate.
Signaling messages are for example sent to devices 1 00 to allocate storage
or processing resources. This is for example done using request messages
including storage size or processing power required. Methods for allocating such
1 0 recourses are well known to the person skilled in the art.
Furthermore signaling messages are for example sent to devices 100 that
require additional information to implement said energy optimal solution.
For example routing tables in routers may be updated to enable said service
to actually use devices 100 that were selected according to said energy optimal
15 solution. This may be achieved for example using the Local Preference feature
of the well known Border Gateway Protocol.
Afterwards said step 604 is executed.
The description and drawings merely illustrate the principles of the invention.
It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise
20 various arrangements. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally
intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in
furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such
specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein
reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as
25 specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
The functions of the various elements shown in the figures, including any
functional blocks labeled as 'first processors', may be provided through the use
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
21
of dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing software in
association with appropriate software. When provided by a first processor, the
functions may be provided by a single dedicated first processor, by a single
shared first processor, or by a plurality of individual first processors, some of
5 which may be shared. Moreover, explicit use of the term 'first processor' or
'controller' should not be construed to refer exclusively to hardware capable of
executing software, and may implicitly include, without limitation, digital signal
first processor (DSP) hardware, network first processor, application specific
integrated circuit {ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), read only
10 memory (ROM) for storing software, random access memory (RAM), and non
volatile storage. Other hardware, conventional and/or custom, may also be
included. Similarly, any switches shown in the figures are conceptual only. Their
function may be carried out through the operation of program logic, through
dedicated logic, through the interaction of program control and dedicated logic,
15 or even manually, the particular technique being selectable by the implementer
as more specifically understood from the context.
It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any block diagrams
herein represent conceptual views of illustrative circuitry embodying the
principles of the invention. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flow charts,
20 flow diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudo code, and the like represent
various processes which may be substantially represented in computer readable
medium and so executed by a computer or first processor, whether or not such
computer or first processor is explicitly shown.
A person of skill in the art would readily recognize that steps of various
25 above-described methods can be performed by programmed computers. Herein,
some embodiments are also intended to cover program storage devices, e.g.,
digital data storage media, which are machine or computer readable and encode
machine-executable or computer-executable programs of instructions, wherein
said instructions perform some or all of the steps of said above-described
30 methods. The program storage devices may be, e.g., digital memories, magnetic
storage media such as a magnetic disks and magnetic tapes, hard drives, or
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
22
optically readable digital data storage media. The embodiments are also
intended to cover computers programmed to perform said steps of the abovedescribed
methods.

Claims
1 . A method for operating a communications network, wherein at least one
energy characteristic status is determined (601 ), and wherein an
operating mode of a device (1 00) forming part of said communications
5 network is influenced (604) depending on said at least one energy
characteristic status, wherein a service is provided using at least a part of
said communications network, wherein said operating mode is influenced
depending on a predetermined requirement of said service.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said operating mode is
10 influenced depending on a predetermined attribute-of said device (1 00).
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said operating mode is
influenced depending on an energy characteristic of said communications
network.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said operating mode is
15 influenced depending on a predetermined power consumption target.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said operating mode is
influenced depending on the actual power consumption of said device
(100).
6. The method according to claim 0, wherein said operating mode is
20 influenced depending on a time period characterizing a transition from a
first operating mode to a second operating mode of said device (1 00).
7. A system for operating a communications network, wherein a first server
is adapted to receive (601) at least one energy characteristic status of
said communications network, to determine (603) an influence to an
25 operating mode of a device (1 00) forming part of said communications
network depending on said at least one energy characteristic status, to
send (604) information for influencing said operating mode to said device
(100), and wherein said device (100) is adapted to receive said
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
24
information for influencing said operating mode and to influence said
operating mode accordingly wherein a service is provided using at least a
part of said communications network, wherein said operating mode is
influenced depending on a predetermined requirement of said service.
5 8. The system according to claim 7, wherein a server (500) is adapted to
determine said predetermined requirement of said service, and to send
information about said predetermined requirement to said first server.
9. A First server (300) for operating a communications network, adapted to
determine (601) at least one energy characteristic status of a device (100)
10 forming part of said communications network, to determine (603) an
influence to an operating mode of said device ( 1 00) depending on said at
least one energy characteristic status, and to send (604) information for
influencing said operating mode to said device (1 00) wherein a service is
provided using at least a part of said communications network, wherein
15 said operating mode is influenced depending on a predetermined
requirement of said service.
10. The first server (300) according to claim 9, adapted to receive a power
target for said communications network, and to determine (603) said
information for influencing said operating mode depending on said
20 information about said power target.
11. The first server (300) according to claim 9, adapted to receive (601)
information about said predetermined requirement of said service, and to
determine (603) said information for influencing said operating mode
depending on said information about said predetermined requirement.
25 12. A device (1 00) for operating a communications network adapted to
receive information for influencing an operating mode of said device (1 00)
determined depending on at least one energy characteristic status of said
communications network, and to influence said operating mode
depending on said information for influencing said operating mode
30 wherein a service is provided using at least a part of said communications
wo 2011/147629 PCT/EP2011/055387
25
network, wherein said operating mode is influenced depending on a
predetermined requirement of said service.
13. A server (500) for operating a communications network, adapted to
determine a predetermined requirement of a service and to send (604)
5 information about said predetermined requirement to a first server (300,
wherein a service is provided using at least a part of said communications
network, wherein an operating mode is influenced depending on said
predetermined requirement of said service.
14. A computer program for operating a communications network, wherein
10 said computer program, when executed on a computer, causes the
computer to determine (601) at least one energy characteristic status, and
influence (604) an operating mode, of a device (100) forming part of said
communications network depending on said at least one energy
characteristic status wherein a service is provided using at least a part of
15 said communications network, wherein said operating mode is influenced
depending on a predetermined requirement of said service.
15. A computer program product for operating a communications network
comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable
program, wherein said computer readable program, when executed on a
20 computer, causes the computer to determine (601) at least one energy
characteristic status, and influence {604) an operating mode of a device
(100) forming part of said communications network depending on said at
least one energy characteristic status, wherein a service is provided using
at least a part of said communications network, wherein said operating
25 mode is influenced depending on a predetermined requirement of said
service.