Embodiments provide improved modes of control of banked data buffer architectures. Embodiments provide modes of control of a central buffer pool (CBP) of a memory management unit (MMU). Embodiments are enabled by a cell free address pool (CFAP) module. The CFAP module may be implemented according to a banked structure. The CFAP module provides CBP/CFAP bank arbitration for selecting enqueue data cells. The CFAP module includes a green mode control module for controlling the power up/down of CBP banks according to expected data traffic through the MMU.