International Business Machines Corporation

Brian Gormley

Michael Sven Miller

Vinod Kamath

David Frederick Champion

Karl Klaus Dittus

Ralph M Begun

Raymond Mathew Clemo

In one embodiment, a single electrical power supply is used to interchangeably power either a single motherboard or dual motherboards. Switchable output power and individual sequencing may be provided to each motherboard using FETs, such that the power supply may respond to the sequencing of each motherboard as if it were dedicated to that motherboard. In a two motherboard system, power to the first motherboard is reduced by removing some output voltages from the first motherboard. Fault circuitry may also be provided so that a power related fault on one domain does not affect operation of the other motherboard.

System and method for interchangeably powering single or multiple motherboards

A system for receiving and supporting a plurality of devices connected to a network. The system comprises a rack having a front side providing access to a plurality of chassis bays for receiving a chassis and aligning a back end of the chassis for blind docking with an electrical power source. The chassis includes a power supply, a fan, and a front side providing access to a plurality of module bays for receiving a module and aligning a back end of the module for blind docking with the power supply. A compute module is received in a module bay and directly blind docked to the power supply. The system further includes at least one other module received in a module bay within the same chassis as the compute module and directly blind docked with the same power supply along with the compute module. The at least one other module is interchangeably selected from the group consisting of a second compute module and an expansion module, wherein the one or more components of the expansion module are controlled by the motherboard of the compute module within the same chassis.

Rack system providing flexible configuration of computer systems with front access

Growing community of inventors

Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America

Brian Gormley