Motivated by the alarming growth rate of networking energy consumption, 3Com engineering teams are developing innovative methods for reducing power without impacting operational performance or functionality. They are tackling the tremendous challenges in controlling and reducing power consumption as organizations deploy new generations of communications solutions.
These networks offer productivity-enhancing Gigabit speed and the cost-saving convenience of Power over Ethernet (PoE). Unfortunately, while ten times faster than Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet technology consumes more than six times the amount of power. Additionally, the use of PoE has dramatically increased the amount of power that is being used in wiring closets as typical LAN switch requirements grow from 100W to 1kW.
3Com is committed to designs with lower power requirements and to the eventual reduction of all power needed to run 3Com® Secure Converged Networks. In 2005, 3Com began refreshing its entire switching product portfolio—the main driver for networking power. In less than three years, all its managed stackable switching products, from the basic 3Com Switch 4200 family to the campus-core chassis Switch 8800 family, have been modified. Their power consumption over previous generations has been reduced by as much as 78%. This decrease in current power draw lessons the heat generated by the system, and in turn, the cooling in wiring closets and data centers that is needed to control the heat.
Most 3Com product designs have migrated to the latest 90nm silicon technology (90 billionths of a meter transistors) to provide the most advanced functionality to customers without an increased power usage. Innovations in reducing leakage current enable the most recent 90nm processors to support a 35% increase in speed that is counter-balanced by a 60% reduction in active power needs. Future plans include a 3Com move to 65nm and even 45nm technology, saving a further 30% in power consumption.
More Efficient Power Supplies
Inefficient power supplies cause an average computer to waste approximately 30-40% of the electrical power it consumes. Much of this energy is simply converted into heat, requiring larger fans to cool the system. 3Com switches use power supplies with greater than 80% efficiency under full load, and they also support DC connections to dedicated power racks—such as the 90% efficient Eaton Powerware APS.
Thermal Controlled and Fanless Cooling Systems
Fans are a key energy consumer. In periods where ambient temperature is low, many 3Com systems can detect when the fans need to run at lower speeds, eliminating the use of power for unnecessary cooling. 3Com has also engineered fanless products, including the Baseline and Switch 4200 families.
Power over Ethernet Management Profiles
Patented 3Com technology allows customers to set maximum power output based upon what is connected to a port. It also provides intuitive management of the total power budget so that no power is wasted. These initiatives allow 3Com to design smaller and more efficient internal power supplies. For those customers who need full power, the external DC system offers a highly resilient, and most importantly, an efficient electrical conversion.