Intel Corporation

Robert J Albers

Edoardo Campini

Hassan Fallah-Adl

Douglas P Bogia

Information is obtained from a module received in a slot in a chassis. The information includes a number of ports in one or more module connectors which route at least one communication channel associated with a communication interfaces on the module. A determination is made as to the number of ports the slot has a capability to route the at least one communication channel to one or more backplanes in the chassis and to another module received in another slot in the chassis. A given number of ports in the one or more module connectors are enabled to forward data from the communication interface on the module and through the at least one communication channel to the other module based on the determination.

Enabling ports on a module received in a slot in a chassis

A chassis includes a plurality of slots to receive modules. The chassis further includes a first backplane to couple to modules that are received in the plurality of slots. The modules are to couple to the first backplane via a first communication interface on each module. The chassis also includes a second backplane to couple to at least a subset of the modules via a second communication interface on each of the subset of modules. One of the backplanes may be located in an upper or lower air plenum and used to interconnect modules slid along the slots from opposite directions. Some of the module connectors may be retractable to enable the modules to move into the chassis. The interface may be electrical, optical inductive or capacitive.

Module to couple to a plurality of backplanes in a chassis

A chassis includes a plurality of slots to receive modules. The chassis includes an electrical backplane to couple to a module received in a first slot of the plurality of slots. The module to couple via a first communication interface on the module. An optical backplane is also included in the chassis. The optical backplane is to couple to the modules via a second communication interface on the module. The optical backplane is to couple to the second interface on the module via at least one interconnect through an opening in the electrical backplane. The interconnect configured to couple a fabric interface associated with the second communication interface to a communication channel routed over the optical backplane.

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Folsom, CA, United States of America

Robert J Albers