07 Mar Energy Efficiency Day, March 5
07/03/2022
On Energy Efficiency Day, which is commemorated every year on March 5, we want to dedicate a piece of news to Energy-Efficient Ethernet and Green Ethernet technologies.
The energy consumption related to Information Systems (IT) corresponds to approximately 10% of global consumption, in addition to the fact that a rapid development is currently being witnessed in Data Centers, 5G, Industries 4.0 and IoT, leading to an increase in global energy consumption. It is due to this that by improving energy efficiency in Ethernet networks, Switches, Routers and computers, the result is multiplied by the hundreds of millions of devices in operation worldwide.
The IEEE 802.3az Energy-Efficient Ethernet (EEE) standard comprises a set of enhancements at the physical layer level of Ethernet networks in twisted pair and twinaxial cablings, backplanes and optical fiber that allow the reduction of power consumption during periods of low data transmission activity.
EEE is based on including in the firmware the mode control of the physical layer transmitters in Fast Ethernet networks, configuring the low-power mode when no information is transmitted through the channels, and switching to the active mode (high energy consumption) only when the messages are to be transmitted. Refresh signals are sent periodically to maintain the integrity of link communication.
It is also possible to include the Green Ethernet technology, an extension of the IEEE 802.3az standard that is consistent in the:
• Detection of the state of each link in a switch, reducing its consumption to standby mode when a connected device, a computer, for example, is not active.
• Determination of the length of the link cables and the corresponding adjustment of the transmission power (switches can transmit signals over cables of up to 100 meters, however, the actual lengths of most links are much less)
The goal of the EEE is to reduce the energy consumption of components and equipment by 50% or more. This is why the Hyperion-500 industrial switch and the Quazar-500 satellite clock, devices from the BitStream company, promote energy efficiency through the use of these technologies.
Im3 and BitStream, working on more efficient and conscious engineering for the future.
