Turn it off – or down at least!
Why it may be important to pay close attention to power management capabilities when choosing or recommending a PoE switch.
Power over Ethernet (PoE) switches that use the 802.3at standard can deliver up to 30w of power to connected devices and those that conform to the 802.3af specification can support devices that need up to 15.4w per port.
But of course, not all devices will need all the power available from the PoE switch, all the time. However, many switches do provide a constant feed of power and as a result, a good deal of energy will go unused. At Zyxel, we don’t like waste, so we have addressed the issue by providing PoE scheduling, special boot processes for legacy devices, and Smart Power Allocation (SPA) features with our switches.
PoE scheduling makes it possible for administrators to turn PoE-powered devices on or off at specific times of the day. This would enable a school, for example, to save power during times when the network is not being used. It also enhances security by ensuring no one can connect to devices such as WiFi routers or Access Points when the school is closed and there is no one around.
A business might want to do exactly the same thing for exactly the same reasons. In addition, turning devices off can help to improve their reliability and lifespan, so it also helps to deliver more return on investment.
On many Zyxel PoE switches, you can also cater for the nuances of older legacy devices (and there are always some on every network) by instigating a special boot-up procedure that will ensure power efficiency and stability is maximised and all devices are up and running in as short a time as possible.
The Smart Power Allocation capability goes even further; it constantly monitors the level of power being drawn by devices connected to different PoE ports and adjusts the total amount of electricity a switch is drawing to support the PoE-connected devices, automatically.
This means that you only ever use the power that is needed at any time and it can make quite a difference. An external camera for example that may require up to 25w of power at times of peak activity might need only 5w or less most of the time. It is important to pay close attention to the power management capabilities when choosing or recommending a PoE switch. Zyxel has a wide range available, why not look and find your perfect Smart Power switch.
