
Brochure
Go Green with Adaptive Wireless LAN Power Management
Challenge
Cost-effective IT solutions that embrace environmental responsibility are in demand as
organizations start to reduce their carbon footprint. Solutions that are quick to implement, require
little or no capital investment, are environmentally beneficial, and deliver an immediate and
quantifiable financial return are highly valued. Organizations are looking for solutions that deliver
measurable savings for the wireless network and support their Green IT initiatives.
Solution
Intelligent control measures can help in creating a culture of sustainable business. These
measures and tools improve your operational efficiencies and reduce the energy consumption of
your wireless network. By implementing these measures, your organization can gain momentum
for its Green IT initiatives.
For the wireless network, Cisco offers adaptive power management capabilities that are built into
the Cisco® Unified Wireless Network through its management platform Cisco Wireless Control
System (WCS) running software release 5.1 and later. Cisco WCS adaptive power management
allows you to shrink your carbon footprint immediately through measurable reductions in energy
usage and operational expenses.
Cisco WCS Adaptive Power Management
Cisco WCS adaptive power management improves the power management of Cisco Aironet®
lightweight access points and supports the Cisco Green IT initiative. This feature turns access
point radios on or off periodically at scheduled intervals while leaving the access point powered,
reducing the time required for network reconvergence (Figures 1 and 2).
© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 1 of 4

Figure 1. Cisco WCS Adaptive Power Management Feature – Scheduling
Brochure
Figure 2. Cisco WCS Adaptive Power Management Feature – Access Point Parameters
© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 2 of 4

Brochure
Realize Measurable Cost Savings
By using Cisco WCS adaptive power management to turn the access point radios on or off at
scheduled intervals (hour, day, and week) you can reduce your power requirements, carbon
footprint, and operating expenses. The power savings gained will vary based on the Cisco Aironet
access point model deployed (Table 1).
Table 1. Measurable Cost Savings with Cisco WCS Adaptive Power Management
Small Campus Large Campus
Number of access points 400 5000
Estimated total watts saved every hour when both radios are turned off* 2800 W 35,000 W
Estimated cost savings per year when radios are turned off for 7 hours every day** $572 $7,154
* 7 watts saved every hour, per access point (1250 Series) when both radios are turned off using Cisco WCS adaptive power
management. The saved wattage includes power savings from the switch and power injectors that power the access point.
** $0.08 saved per kilowatt-hour for a 365 day year
Benefits
Benefits of using the Cisco WCS adaptive power management feature include:
●
Reduced operating expense
●
Reduced power requirements
●
Reduced carbon footprint
●
Simplified management of WLAN security through the ability to restrict WLAN usage by
day, time, or location
Summary
Organizations can realize measurable cost savings and reduce their carbon footprint by using the
Cisco WCS adaptive power management feature to turn Cisco Aironet lightweight access point
radios on or off at scheduled intervals. Using this feature can help organizations create a culture of
sustainable business and gain momentum for their Green IT initiatives.
Solution Components
●
Cisco Unified Wireless Network
●
Cisco Aironet Access Points
●
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
●
Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS)
To learn more about the Cisco Wireless Control System, please visit
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6305/index.html.
To learn more about the Cisco Unified Wireless Network, please visit
http://www.cisco.com/go/unifiedwireless.
© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 3 of 4

Brochure
Printed in USA C02-519055-00 01/09
© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 4 of 4

Brochure
© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 5 of 4