Dual network chip layout for a large modular system

A fabric card for a network device, the fabric card comprising:

• a first printed circuit board (PCB) having a front side and a rear side;
• a first fabric ASIC disposed on the front side of the first PCB;
• a second PCB having a front side and a rear side, the second PCB spaced from and arranged in a back-to-back configuration with the first PCB;
• a second fabric ASIC disposed on the front side of the second PCB;
• a plurality of near package connectors for connecting to line cards;
• and
• a plurality of signal channels, the plurality of signal channels comprising a first subset connecting each of the plurality of near package connectors to the first fabric ASIC and a second subset connecting each of the plurality of near package connectors to the second fabric ASIC.

A network device comprising:

• a fabric card, the fabric card comprising:
• a first printed circuit board (PCB) having a front side and rear side;
• a first fabric ASIC disposed on the front side of the first PCB;
• a first plurality of board-to-cable connectors arranged about the first fabric ASIC;
• a second PCB having a front side and a rear side, the second PCB spaced from and arranged in a back-to-back configuration with the first PCB;
• a second fabric ASIC disposed on the front side of the second PCB;
• a second plurality of board-to-cable connectors arranged about the second fabric ASIC;
• a plurality of near package connectors;
• and
• a plurality of signal channel cables, the plurality of signal channel cables comprising:
• a first subset connecting each of the plurality of near package connectors to a respective board-to-cable connector from the first plurality of board-to-cable connectors to connect the first fabric ASIC to each of the plurality of near package connectors;
• a second subset connecting each of the plurality of near package connectors to a respective board-to-cable connector from the second plurality of board-to-cable connectors to connect the second fabric ASIC to each of the plurality of near package connectors;
• a plurality of line cards connected to the fabric card by the plurality of near package connectors, each line card from the plurality of line cards comprising:
• a network port;
• and
• a switching ASIC.