Flexible server network connection upgrade systems and methods

A method comprising:

• removably connecting a high-speed physical layer device expansion card to a computer server motherboard, wherein
• the computer server motherboard comprises a base network interface controller integrated circuit comprising
• a set of low-speed media access controllers (MACs), and
• a set of high-speed MACs, and
• the high-speed physical layer device expansion card comprises a set of high-speed physical layer processor (PHY) devices, each high-speed PHY device being connected to a high-speed MAC of the base network interface controller integrated circuit;
• and
• employing a programmable processor of the computer server motherboard to
• determine a type of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card connected to the computer server motherboard, wherein determining the type of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card includes determining a physical layer standard of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card, and
• configure the base network interface controller integrated circuit or the high-speed physical layer device expansion card according to the determined type of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card.

An apparatus comprising:

• a base network interface controller board comprising:
• a set of low-speed media access controllers (MACs),
• a set of low-speed physical layer processor (PHY) devices, each low-speed PHY device being connected to a low-speed MAC, and
• a set of high-speed MACs, and
• a high-speed physical layer device expansion card removably connected to the base network interface controller board, the high-speed physical layer device expansion card comprising a set of high-speed PHY devices, each high-speed PHY device being connected to a high-speed MAC of the base network interface controller board;
• wherein the base network interface controller board is configured to
• determine a type of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card connected to the base network interface controller board, wherein determining the type of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card includes determining a physical layer standard of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card, and
• configure the base network interface controller board or the high-speed physical layer device expansion card according to the determined type of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card.

A method comprising:

• removably connecting a high-speed physical layer device expansion card to a base network interface controller board, wherein
• the base network interface controller board comprises
• a set of low-speed media access controllers (MACs),
• a set of low-speed physical layer processor (PHY) devices, each low-speed PHY device being connected to a low-speed MAC, and
• a set of high-speed MACs, and
• the high-speed physical controller expansion card comprises a set of high-speed PHY devices, each high-speed PHY device being connected to a high-speed MAC of the base network interface controller integrated circuit;
• and
• employing the base network interface controller board to
• determine a type of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card connected to the base network interface controller board, wherein determining the type of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card includes determining a physical layer standard of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card, and
• configure the base network interface controller board or the high-speed physical layer device expansion card according to the determined type of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card.

An apparatus comprising:

• a base network interface controller integrated circuit comprising:
• a set of low-speed media access controllers (MACs),
• a set of high-speed MACs, and
• a programmable processor connected to the low-speed MACs and high-speed MACs;
• and
• a high-speed physical layer device expansion card connector coupled to the base network interface controller integrated circuit, for removably connecting the base network interface controller integrated circuit to a high-speed physical layer device expansion card, the high-speed physical controller expansion card comprising a set of high-speed physical layer processor (PHY) devices;
• wherein connecting the base network interface controller integrated circuit to the high-speed physical controller expansion card connects each high-speed PHY device of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card to a high-speed MAC of the base network interface controller integrated circuit;
• and
• wherein the programmable processor is programmed to
• determine a type of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card connected to the base network interface controller integrated circuit, wherein determining the type of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card includes determining a physical layer standard of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card, and
• configure the base network interface controller integrated circuit or the high-speed physical layer device expansion card according to the determined type of the high-speed physical layer device expansion card.