Emc Corporation

Michael L Schillinger

Robert P Wierzbicki

Ralph C Frangioso, Jr

Keith Clifford Johnson

Steven R Cieluch

Thomas J Connor

An improved redundant computing apparatus has a chassis assembly configured to (i) mount to a standard electronic equipment rack and (ii) consume substantially 1U of space in a particular direction within the standard electronic equipment rack. The chassis assembly includes a housing and a midplane disposed within the housing. The apparatus further includes a set of power supply/blower assemblies configured to electrically connect to and electrically disconnect from the midplane of the chassis assembly in a hot swappable manner, and a set of computing devices configured to electrically connect to and electrically disconnect from the midplane of the chassis assembly in a hot swappable manner. By way of example, the set of computing devices is adapted to move data into and out of a set of disk drives on behalf of a set of external host computers.

Techniques for redundant computing from within a 1U form factor with improved serviceability and high availability characteristics

A midplane has plated through holes (PTHs) which form a first profile and a second profile. The first profile has (i) an overlapping portion which overlaps at least part of the second profile and (ii) a non-overlapping portion which does not overlap any part of the second profile. A first connector mounts to a first side of the midplane over the first profile, and a second connector mounts to a second side of the midplane over the second profile. At least one PTH is a shared PTH which resides in both the first and second profiles and which engages a pin of the first connector and a pin of the second connector. Additionally, at least one PTH is a non-shared PTH which resides in the non-overlapping portion of the first profile and which engages a pin of the first connector without engaging any pins of the second connector.

Growing community of inventors

Auburn, MA, United States of America

Michael L Schillinger