Abstract: An apparatus for compute and networking operation in a rack-mounted device are provided herein. An exemplary apparatus may include a compute substrate, a networking substrate, and a bridge substrate. The compute substrate may include a processor, and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor. The networking substrate may be separate from the compute substrate and include control processor, and an Ethernet switch communicatively coupled to the control processor. The bridge substrate may be communicatively coupled to the compute substrate and the networking substrate, and include at least two high-speed signal traces, the high-speed signal traces being at least one differential pair, the high-speed signal traces being communicatively coupled to the compute substrate and the networking substrate.

Abstract: A network interface system having a front module and a rear transition module is disclosed. The rear transition module is specifically designed to allow active components of the network interface system to be placed on the front module, so that only passive components are placed on the rear transition module. Thus, the mean time between failure of the rear transition module is increased. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention includes series resistors between the transmit magnetics of the rear transition module and a rear transition connector. The series resistors suppress noise and reflection on the transmit lines.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for using a hardware switch fabric with software configured for a software switch. The method and system provides the speed of a hardware switch fabric with the flexibility and ease of use of standard software switches. In one embodiment of the present invention a network controller is configured to interface with one or more VLANs. the network controller includes a microprocessor, a peripheral bus, a memory system, and a hardware switch fabric coupled to the peripheral bus. The network interfaces are coupled to the hardware switch fabric and are configured to communicate with devices in the VLANs. The memory system includes network software and VLAN device drivers. The network software uses the VLAN device drivers to communicate with the VLANs.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for using a hardware switch fabric with software configured for a software switch. The method and system provides the speed of a hardware switch fabric with the flexibility and ease of use of standard software switches. Specifically, the network controller includes a software routing table for the software switch and a hardware routing table for the hardware switch. A shadowing daemon detects changes in the software routing table and copies the changes to the hardware routing table.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for using a hardware switch fabric with software configured for a software switch. The method and system provides the speed of a hardware switch fabric with the flexibility and ease of use of standard software switches. Specifically, the network controller includes a microprocessor, a peripheral bus, a memory system, and a hardware switch fabric coupled to the peripheral bus. The network interfaces are coupled to the hardware switch fabric. The memory system includes network software and low-level pseudo network interface device drivers. The network software uses the low-level pseudo network interface device drivers to control the network interfaces through the hardware switch fabric.

Abstract: A network interface system having a front module and a rear transition module is disclosed. The rear transition module is specifically designed to allow active components of the network interface system to be placed on the front module, so that only passive components are placed on the rear transition module. Thus, the mean time between failure of the rear transition module is increased. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention includes series resistors between the transmit magnetics of the rear transition module and a rear transition connector. The series resistors suppress noise and reflection on the transmit lines.