8023az

8023az is commonly used to refer to the IEEE 802.3az standard, known as Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE). The standard defines mechanisms for Ethernet physical layer devices to reduce power consumption during periods of low data activity while maintaining the ability to resume normal operation without interrupting communication.

A central feature of EEE is the Low Power Idle (LPI) mode, which allows a transmitter and receiver to enter a low‑power state during idle times. When traffic resumes, the devices wake up and return to full operation. The use of LPI is negotiated between communicating devices using the standard link procedures; both ends must support EEE for energy savings to occur.

The energy savings provided by 802.3az depend on factors such as traffic patterns, link speed, and cable length. Savings are typically greater with longer idle periods and higher-speed links. Some implementations may introduce small wake‑up latencies or uneven performance if not carefully deployed. EEE is designed to be backward compatible with non‑EEE devices, though those devices cannot participate in the energy-saving mode.

Deployment considerations include verifying support on switches and network interface cards, enabling EEE in device firmware or drivers, and balancing potential latency with power savings. It is commonly discussed as part of broader efforts to reduce energy use in data centers and enterprise networks.

Background: 802.3az was introduced as an amendment to the Ethernet standard and is part of the IEEE 802.3 family. It aims to reduce power consumption in Ethernet interfaces without requiring changes to higher-layer protocols.