Cisco Technology, Inc.

Padmanabhan Ramanujam

John Parello

Sarat Pollakattu

Ashwin Kumar

Ahmed Faraz

In one embodiment, a power sourcing equipment (PSE) includes: processing circuitry, a multiplicity of power over Ethernet (PoE) enabled ports, a PSE module to be executed by the processing circuitry and operative to: receive requests for power from at least two devices via one PoE enabled port from among the multiplicity of PoE enabled ports, allocate power for the at least two devices according to the requests for power, and provide the power to the at least two devices via the one PoE enabled port.

Ethernet power distribution

A method is provided in which a network access system receives an initial request from a device requesting access to the network. In response to successfully authenticating the initial access request, the system causes a code to be transmitted in light emitted by one or more light fixtures within a physical space in which access to the network is to be restricted. The system receives information from the device requesting access to the network and determines whether to permit the device access to the network based on the initial request and on whether the received information is derived from the code transmitted by the one or more light fixtures, thereby indicating that the requesting device is within the physical space.

Method and system to provide multi-factor authentication for network access using light

Various systems and methods for using power challenges to authenticate network devices are disclosed herein. For example, one method involves initiating a power challenge to authenticate an endpoint device, which involves, at least in part, requesting the endpoint device to perform a specific power signature; receiving data indicating whether the endpoint device performed the requested power signature within a given time interval, wherein the data can be received from, e.g., a power interface or other device capable of observing the endpoint device; processing the received data to determine if the endpoint device correctly performed the requested power signature; and if the endpoint correctly performed the power signature, authenticating the endpoint.

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Bengaluru, India

Padmanabhan Ramanujam