US 9,854,697 B2Granted

Modular network switches, associated structures, and associated methods of manufacture and use

AssigneeFacebook, Inc.

InventorsHans-Juergen Schmidtke, Zhiping Yao, Che Kin Leung, Xu Wang

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Modular network switches and other computer systems are described herein. A modular network switch can include a latching device for installing and removing computer modules (e.g., line cards) from an associated cabinet or enclosure. The network switch can also include interconnected computer modules (e.g., line cards, fabric cards, control modules, etc.) that include circuit boards oriented parallel to the flow of cooling air through the cabinet in the absence of a backplane or midplane oriented perpendicular to the air flow. The absence of such backplanes and/or midplanes provides a more direct air flow path through the cabinet, thereby enabling a more efficient flow of cooling air and lower operating temperatures. Additionally, the network switch can include an orthogonal arrangement of data planes, control planes, and/or power planes that can be efficiently interconnected to increase operational speed and further facilitate the flow of cooling air through the computer cabinet.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A computer system comprising:

a cabinet having a plurality of side walls defining an internal volume;
a plurality of first circuit boards operably positioned parallel to each other in a first portion of the internal volume, wherein each of the first circuit boards includes a first connector positioned proximate an aft edge portion thereof;
and
a plurality of second circuit boards operably positioned parallel to each other in a second portion of the internal volume, wherein the plurality of second circuit boards are positioned in edgewise, nonparallel orientation relative to the plurality of first circuit boards, wherein each of the second circuit boards includes a second connector positioned proximate a forward edge portion thereof, and wherein each of the second connectors is directly mated to a corresponding first connector to electrically connect each of the first circuit boards to a corresponding second circuit board;
a plurality of third circuit boards positioned parallel to each other in the first portion of the internal volume,
wherein the cabinet includes a front side toward one end of the side walls and a back side toward an opposite end of the side walls,
wherein the front side of the cabinet includes a plurality of first openings that removably contain the first circuit boards, whereby individual first circuit boards can be removed from the cabinet and replaced while the other of the first circuit boards remain in situ, and
wherein the front side of the cabinet further includes a plurality of second openings that removably contain the third circuit boards, whereby individual third circuit boards can be removed from the cabinet and replaced while other of the third circuit boards remain in situ.

5 more elements

A method for assembling a network switch for connecting remote devices in a computer network, the method comprising:

positioning a plurality of line cards parallel to each other in a first portion of a computer cabinet, wherein each of the line cards includes a first connector and a third connector mounted to an aft edge portion thereof;
positioning a plurality of fabric cards parallel to each other in a second portion of the computer cabinet, wherein the plurality of fabric cards are nonparallel relative to the plurality of line cards, and wherein each of the fabric cards includes a second connector and a fourth connector mounted to a forward edge portion thereof;
directly connecting each of the first connectors to a corresponding second connector to electrically connect each of the line cards to at least one of the fabric cards in the absence of an intermediate circuit board oriented perpendicularly therebetween;
positioning a first control plane in the cabinet, wherein the first control plane includes a plurality of fifth connectors;
positioning a second control plane in the cabinet, wherein the second control plane includes a plurality of sixth connectors;
directly connecting each of the third connectors to a corresponding fifth connector to electrically connect each of the line cards to the first control plane;
directly connecting each of the fourth connectors to a corresponding sixth connector to electrically connect each of the fabric cards to the second control plane;
positioning at least one fan in the computer cabinet, wherein the computer cabinet has a front and a rear;
and
operating the fan to direct cooling air through the computer cabinet along a generally straight air flow path from the front to the rear of the cabinet, wherein the plurality of line cards and the plurality of fabric cards are positioned in alignment with the air flow path.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/291,313Filed 12 Oct 2016 · us provisional application
Priority: 11 May 2016
Published: US 2017/0332506 A116 Nov 2017
Granted: 26 Dec 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

H05K 7/20736
Forced ventilation of a gaseous coolant: within cabinets for removing heat from server blades
G06F 1/181
Packaging or power distribution: enclosures
G06F 1/183
Packaging or power distribution: internal mounting support structures, e.g. for supporting printed circuit boards
G06F 1/185
Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for supporting printed circuit boards: mounting of expansion boards