Blade computer system

Abstract

A blade computer system comprises side-by-side computer blades ( 44, 144 ), a connectivity module ( 50, 150, 350 ) extending across and connected to each of the plurality of side-by-side computer blades ( 44, 144 ) along the ends of the computer blades ( 44, 144 ) and at least one first power supply-fan unit ( 46, 146 ) extending perpendicular to the first axis and directly connected to each of the first plurality of side-by-side computer blades ( 44, 144 ) along ends of the plurality of side-by-side computer blades ( 44, 144 ) such that the at least one power supply-fan unit ( 46, 146 ) draws air across the first plurality of side-by-side computer blades ( 44, 144 ) and into the first connectivity module ( 50, 150, 350 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A blade computer system comprising:
 a connectivity module extending across and perpendicular to an axis, the connectivity module spanning a plurality of computer blades and being connected to an end of each computer blade, the connectivity module to connect each computer blade to switches; and   a fan unit extending perpendicular to the axis, the fan unit directly connected to the end of each computer blade;   wherein an airflow path is defined across the plurality of computer blades, into the connectivity module, and into the fan unit.   
     
     
         2 . The blade computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the fan unit is to create a substantially unidirectional flow along the axis across the plurality of computer blades and across the connectivity module. 
     
     
         3 . The blade computer system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first and a second plurality of computer blades within a rack, each of the second plurality of computer blades having a major dimension extending along the axis; and 
 a second fan unit extending perpendicular to the axis, the second fan unit being directly connected to each of the second plurality of computer blades along ends of the second plurality of computer blades such that the second fan unit draws air across the second plurality of blades and into the connectivity module; 
 wherein the second fan unit has a second dimension along the axis; and 
 wherein the second fan unit has a third dimension along the axis greater than the second dimension. 
 
     
     
         4 . The blade computer system of  claim 1  further comprising a rack interconnect supported by a rack including the connectivity module and switches,
 wherein the connectivity module includes:
 an enclosure; 
 a plurality of optical connectors directly connected to each of the plurality of computer blades; 
 optical ribbons connected to the optical connectors; and 
 external optical ports supported by the enclosure, connected to the optical ribbons and optically connected to the rack interconnect. 
 
 
     
     
         5 . The blade computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the connectivity module further includes:
 an electrical midplane supported by an enclosure and electrically connected to the plurality of computer blades;   a printed circuit assembly within the enclosure and connected to the electrical midplane, the printed circuit assembly including management circuitry; and   external electrical ports supported by the enclosure and connected to the printed circuit assembly.   
     
     
         6 . The blade computer system of  claim 5  further comprising:
 a second printed circuit assembly within the enclosure connected to the electrical midplane, the second printed circuit assembly including second management circuitry; and 
 second external electrical ports supported by the enclosure and connected to the second printed circuit assembly. 
 
     
     
         7 . The blade computer system of  claim 5  further comprising:
 a low total bandwidth device; and 
 an electrical connection from the low total bandwidth device to the external electrical ports of the connectivity module. 
 
     
     
         8 . The blade computer system of  claim 5  further comprising a direct CPU-to-CPU coherency domain connection within the enclosure connecting first and second blades of the plurality of computer blades. 
     
     
         9 . The blade computer system of  claim 1  further comprising a second connectivity module extending across and perpendicular to the axis, the second connectivity module extending adjacent the connectivity module while being connected to the end of each computer blade, the second connectivity module to connect each computer blade of a second plurality of computer blades to switches. 
     
     
         10 . The blade computer system of  claim 1 , wherein each of a first connectivity module and a second connectivity module includes:
 an enclosure;   a plurality of optical connectors directly connected to each of the plurality of computer blades;   optical ribbons connected to the optical connectors; and   external optical ports supported by the enclosure, connected to the optical ribbons and optically connected to a rack interconnect.   
     
     
         11 . The blade computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the connectivity module includes:
 an enclosure;   an electrical midplane supported by the enclosure and electrically connected to the plurality of computer blades;   a printed circuit assembly within the enclosure connected to the electrical midplane, the printed circuit assembly including management circuitry; and   external electrical ports connected to the printed circuit assembly.   
     
     
         12 . The blade computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the fan unit comprises a plurality of fan units electrically connected to a same blade of the plurality of computer blades. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 connecting a fan unit to a plurality of computer blades along ends of the computer blades;   connecting a connectivity module to ends of the computer blades and positioned to span the plurality of computer blades, the connectivity module to connect the computer blades to rack interconnects; and   drawing air with the fan unit along an airflow path defined across the plurality of computer blades and into the connectivity module.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 connecting each of the plurality of computer blades to first and second power supplies of a respective fan unit.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 connecting a first number of the plurality of computer blades to four fan units; and   connecting a second number of the plurality of computer blades to less than four fan units.