System of implementing switch devices in a server system

Abstract

A system of implementing devices in a system. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are systems comprising a plurality of devices of a first type coupled to a coupling medium, and a first and second slots (where each slot enables coupling of a device of a second type to the coupling medium). The first and second slots accept second type devices one each in each slot, and the first and second slots accept a single device spanning both slots.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a plurality of first connectors on a coupling medium to couple to a first type of device;   first and second slots enabling coupling of a second type of device to the coupling medium;   a second connector associated with the first slot, wherein the second connector communicatively couples to each of the first connectors; and   a third connector associated with the second slot, wherein the third connector is communicatively coupled to each of the first connectors;   wherein, when each of the first and second slots accepts a separate second type of device, the second type of device in the first slot communicates with at least one of the first type of devices using a first bandwidth communication protocol; and   wherein, when the first and second slots accept a single second type of device spanning both slots, the single second type of device communicates with at least one of the first type of devices using a second bandwidth communication protocol, the second bandwidth being greater than the first bandwidth.   
     
     
         2 . The system as defined in  claim 1  wherein the second type of devices are selected from the group consisting of: a device that couples at least one server to a communications network; a device that couples at least one server to a storage device; and a device that couples to at least one server for purposes of parallel computing. 
     
     
         3 . The system as defined in  claim 1  further comprising:
 third and fourth slots, where each of the third and fourth slot enables coupling of a device of the second type to the coupling medium; 
 wherein the third and fourth switch slots is to accept a single second type device spanning both the third and fourth slots, and wherein the first, second, third and fourth slots accept a single second device spanning the first, second, third and fourth slots. 
 
     
     
         4 . A system, comprising:
 a plurality of first connectors on a coupling medium to couple to a first type of device; and   first, second, third, and fourth slots to enable coupling of a second type of device through the coupling medium to each of the first connectors, said second type of device including at least one of a single-wide device, a double-wide device and a double-wide, double-high device;   wherein, when any of the first, second, third and fourth slots accepts a single-wide device, such single-wide device is to communicate with at least one of the first type of devices;   wherein, when a pair of the first, second, third, and fourth slots accepts a double-wide device spanning the pair of slots, such double-wide device is to communicate with at least one of the first type of devices; and   wherein, when the first, second, third, and fourth slots accept a double-wide, double-high device spanning all four switch slots, the double-wide, double-high device communicates with at least one of the first type of devices.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein communication bandwidth is different among the single-wide device, double-wide device, and double-wide, double-high device. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the communication bandwidth of the double-wide, double-high device is greater than that of the double-wide device, and the communication bandwidth of the double-wide device is greater than that of the single-wide device.