Orchestrating low-power modes in network devices

Abstract

Devices, systems, methods, and processes for orchestrating and managing various lower-power modes in a variety of network devices within a network are described herein. Various network devices, such as access points may be capable of entering one or more lower-power modes of operation that utilize less electricity to operate. When initiating a lower-power mode, the various clients that the network device has been handling need to be handed off to a sibling AP nearby. However, when exiting these lower-power modes, these devices may need different amounts of time to reboot and/or resume normal operations. Thus, when deciding which clients to re-associate with the waking up network device, various considerations need to be weighed based on client needs and network device capabilities. Thus, a smart environmental controller (SEC) is utilized to coordinate these processes. The SEC can be a specialized device, or a logic distributed remotely or among the network devices.