Pre-Grant Publication Number: 20080040421
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PRIOR ART REFERENCE 189

LIMITATIONS Although the patent in question has many features, which, when fully functional, will allow the network administrator to efficiently manage power throughout a server farm or group of appliances, there are several limitations to the marketability and success of the patent in question. First off, it appears as if though several companies (i.e. Uplogix™) have already patented a similar power efficiency process. More specifically, Uplogix’s program called Envoy Management enables secure remote management for all hardware containing Envoy Management firmware. Envoy utilizes a web based GUI (Graphical User Interface) to display its environment, also similar to the proposed patent. PROSPECTS Despite the proposed patent’s similarities to other existing products on the market, and the proposed patent’s use of the technology that provides network administrators with a solution to control the efficiency of power in various network appliances and servers, is for the most part, already in existence, the proposed patent does have some very useful advantages. For one, it is the culmination of processes that make the service unique. BUSINESS ASPECTS Despite the proposed patents apparent “piggy-backing” on already existing legacy protocols such as SNMP and other services for power management in existence, it is unique in that the bringing together of these processes and the attractive and easy to use XML based GUI will be more effective than the usage of all individual parts alone. Although the invention’s competitors may have created a service of a similar nature, the inventions advantages and ease of use gives it marketability over its competitors. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. SNMP: SNMP could be used instead of XML messages; many companies are offering products that claim to perform the same or similar service. WANDL is a company that uses SNMP to monitor Networks, physical failure on power supply could be detected by SNMP and reported a failure. Further, WANDL administrator could turn off/on power supply. In big networks, Devices send a message to the main server reporting a power supply failure, link down, Fan damaged…etc, instead of a main servers/software’s send a status request to each device on the network, that is a one of the main advantage over SNMP. 2. Redundancy: having one power online will increase the risk of power failure. The patent can go further with load balancing ideas and increase the availability and stability such as two or more switches with a load balancer. Although sharing the power supplied by more than one supplier could increase heat and power consumption, it will market the patent to enterprise organizations / companies. Under a load balancer, a supplier could provide 50% and the other supplier provide the remaining 50%, taking in consideration that either one can provide the full power. 3. Usage of the open industry standard that provides (among other things) power management. As well as usage of the Active Energy Manager will measure, monitor, and manage the energy components were built into IBM systems enabling a cross-platform management solution. IBM Director is inherently remotely manageable.

Comments

Steven Pearson (6 months ago)
My impression is that several university classes, most recently some from Kent State, have had assignments to make commentary here on P2P. Unfortunately, as you noted, the thrust of such commentary is not typically germane to the pilot. See Prior Art Reference 189 for a particularly egregious example. more...