Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling airflow through a casing or shelf assembly are provided. An apparatus, according to one implementation, includes a mount plate configured to be attached to a side panel of a casing for housing network equipment. For example, the mount plate may include a window. The apparatus also includes one or more hinges arranged at an edge of the window of the mount plate and a baffle pivotably attached to the one or more hinges. The baffle can be arranged within a range of positions with respect to the mount plate to control an amount of airflow through the window. Within these range of positions, the baffle is configured to redirect the airflow in a front-to-back direction through the casing.

Abstract: A modular network element includes a plurality of modules each comprising a plurality of faceplate ports connected to fabric circuitry configured to perform Ethernet switching; and a cabled backplane providing connectivity between the plurality of modules, the cabled backplane includes each module of the plurality of modules having a set of the plurality of faceplate ports interconnected to other modules of the plurality of modules.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a cable parking system for a network element and a method thereof comprising a filler card configured to be inserted in a slot of a plurality of slots, wherein the network element includes a shelf containing the plurality of slots. The network element including a park module configured to attach to a faceplate of the filler card and configured to receive and hold a plurality of cables for connectivity between the plurality of slots. The cable parking system where the filler card is inserted in lieu of a working card that includes one or more of a client card, a line card, a fabric card, and a combination thereof, and wherein the park module supports the plurality of cables for a future working card. The cable parking system further comprising one or more pluggable module holders each configured to insert in the park module and each configured to hold one or more pluggable modules with a cable connected thereof.

Abstract: A modular network element includes one or more lineboxes which are a hybrid between a rack mounted module and a line module which is inserted in a chassis; one or more linebox carriers which are rack mountable and configured to selectively receive the one or more lineboxes and provide power connectors and data connectors thereto; and a core chassis including one or more switch modules, one or more controller modules, and a set of connectors located at the rear for cabling to the power connectors and the data connectors on the one or more linebox carriers.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling airflow through a casing or shelf assembly are provided. An apparatus, according to one implementation, includes a mount plate configured to be attached to a side panel of a casing for housing network equipment. For example, the mount plate may include a window. The apparatus also includes one or more hinges arranged at an edge of the window of the mount plate and a baffle pivotably attached to the one or more hinges. The baffle can be arranged within a range of positions with respect to the mount plate to control an amount of airflow through the window. Within these range of positions, the baffle is configured to redirect the airflow in a front-to-back direction through the casing.

Abstract: A module for a networking node is disclosed. The module includes a Printed Circuit Board (“PCB”); one or more circuits mounted to the PCB; and a faceplate that including a plurality of plates, angled relative to one another, such that the faceplate includes increased surface area relative to a substantially flat faceplate, wherein at least two plates of the plurality of plates include physical ports each having track lengths to a circuit of one or more circuits, wherein one or more of the physical ports support signals at a rate of at least 100 Gbps. Each plate of the plurality of plates can be flat. Any of the plurality of plates can include physical ports. The physical ports can be pluggable modules. Each type of the physical ports can be a same type on a given plate.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling airflow through a casing or shelf assembly are provided. An apparatus, according to one implementation, includes a mount plate configured to be attached to a side panel of a casing for housing network equipment. For example, the mount plate may include a window. The apparatus also includes one or more hinges arranged at an edge of the window of the mount plate and a baffle pivotably attached to the one or more hinges. The baffle can be arranged within a range of positions with respect to the mount plate to control an amount of airflow through the window. Within these range of positions, the baffle is configured to redirect the airflow in a front-to-back direction through the casing.

Abstract: An outdoor, hardened telecommunications clamshell platform includes a base half and a top cover half. The platform also includes a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) disposed between two cooling plates within the platform, and a heat distributing mechanism surrounding the PCB within the platform and configured to distribute heat substantially evenly between the base half and the top cover half.

Abstract: A module for a networking node is disclosed. The module includes a Printed Circuit Board (“PCB”); one or more circuits mounted to the PCB; and a faceplate that including a plurality of plates, angled relative to one another, such that the faceplate includes increased surface area relative to a substantially flat faceplate, wherein at least two plates of the plurality of plates include physical ports each having track lengths to a circuit of one or more circuits, wherein one or more of the physical ports support signals at a rate of at least 100 Gbps. Each plate of the plurality of plates can be flat. Any of the plurality of plates can include physical ports. The physical ports can be pluggable modules. Each type of the physical ports can be a same type on a given plate.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling airflow through a casing or shelf assembly are provided. An apparatus, according to one implementation, includes a mount plate configured to be attached to a side panel of a casing for housing network equipment. For example, the mount plate may include a window. The apparatus also includes one or more hinges arranged at an edge of the window of the mount plate and a baffle pivotably attached to the one or more hinges. The baffle can be arranged within a range of positions with respect to the mount plate to control an amount of airflow through the window. Within these range of positions, the baffle is configured to redirect the airflow in a front-to-back direction through the casing.

Abstract: A module for a networking node is disclosed. The module includes a Printed Circuit Board (“PCB”), one or more circuits mounted to the PCB and a faceplate. The faceplate includes a middle plate, a first side plate, and a second side plate. The first side plate extends from the middle plate at an obtuse angle relative to the middle plate towards a first side and back of the module. The second side plate extends from the middle plate, opposite to the first side plate, at an obtuse angle relative to the middle plate towards a second side and the back of the module.

Abstract: A module for a networking node is disclosed. The module includes a Printed Circuit Board (“PCB”), one or more circuits mounted to the PCB and a faceplate. The faceplate includes a middle plate, a first side plate, and a second side plate. The first side plate extends from the middle plate at an obtuse angle relative to the middle plate towards a first side and back of the module. The second side plate extends from the middle plate, opposite to the first side plate, at an obtuse angle relative to the middle plate towards a second side and the back of the module.

Abstract: An outdoor, hardened telecommunications clamshell platform includes a base half and a top cover half. The platform also includes a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) disposed between two cooling plates within the platform, and a heat distributing mechanism surrounding the PCB within the platform and configured to distribute heat substantially evenly between the base half and the top cover half.

Abstract: A module for a networking node is disclosed. The module includes a Printed Circuit Board (“PCB”), one or more circuits mounted to the PCB and a faceplate. The faceplate includes a middle plate, a first side plate, and a second side plate. The first side plate extends from the middle plate at an obtuse angle relative to the middle plate towards a first side and back of the module. The second side plate extends from the middle plate, opposite to the first side plate, at an obtuse angle relative to the middle plate towards a second side and the back of the module.

Abstract: Systems and methods of managing a modular network element as a single entity and the modular network element includes a plurality of line modules and zero or more switch modules in a chassis. The plurality of line modules are located separate from the chassis and connected to the chassis and/or to one another via cabling. The method includes operating a management plane between the plurality of line modules and the zero or more switch modules via one or more dedicated links in the cabling; managing the plurality of line modules and the zero or more switch modules as a single network element utilizing a chassis management protocol over the management plane; and designating one of a controller in the chassis and a processor in one of the plurality of line modules operating as a virtual controller as primary for the chassis management protocol.

Abstract: Systems and methods of Ethernet path selection in a modular network element including one or more ingress line modules, a plurality of switch modules in a chassis, and one or more egress line modules, wherein the one or more ingress line modules and the one or more egress line modules are located separate from one another and connected to the chassis via cabling. The method includes distributing one or more Ethernet flows from the one or more ingress line modules to the one or more egress line modules via the plurality of switch modules; receiving fabric state information at the one or more ingress line modules from the core chassis out-of-band via the cabling; and, responsive to congestion on a path through the plurality of switch modules, selecting a new path by an ingress line module for an Ethernet flow.

Abstract: Systems and methods of Ethernet path selection in a modular network element including one or more ingress line modules, a plurality of switch modules in a chassis, and one or more egress line modules, wherein the one or more ingress line modules and the one or more egress line modules are located separate from one another and connected to the chassis via cabling. The method includes distributing one or more Ethernet flows from the one or more ingress line modules to the one or more egress line modules via the plurality of switch modules; receiving fabric state information at the one or more ingress line modules from the core chassis out-of-band via the cabling; and, responsive to congestion on a path through the plurality of switch modules, selecting a new path by an ingress line module for an Ethernet flow.

Abstract: A modular network element includes one or more lineboxes which are a hybrid between a rack mounted module and a line module which is inserted in a chassis; one or more linebox carriers which are rack mountable and configured to selectively receive the one or more lineboxes and provide power connectors and data connectors thereto; and a core chassis including one or more switch modules, one or more controller modules, and a set of connectors located at the rear for cabling to the power connectors and the data connectors on the one or more linebox carriers.

Abstract: Systems and methods of managing a modular network element as a single entity and the modular network element includes a plurality of line modules and zero or more switch modules in a chassis. The plurality of line modules are located separate from the chassis and connected to the chassis and/or to one another via cabling. The method includes operating a management plane between the plurality of line modules and the zero or more switch modules via one or more dedicated links in the cabling; managing the plurality of line modules and the zero or more switch modules as a single network element utilizing a chassis management protocol over the management plane; and designating one of a controller in the chassis and a processor in one of the plurality of line modules operating as a virtual controller as primary for the chassis management protocol.

Abstract: A split backplane for a telecommunication, networking, or computing device includes a power backplane comprising power connectors; a signal backplane comprising signal connectors, wherein the signal backplane is separate from the power backplane, and wherein one or more modules are adapted to selectively connect to the power connectors and the signal connectors simultaneously; and an alignment bar connected between the power backplane and the signal backplane for alignment and stiffening of the power backplane and the signal backplane together for signal integrity and to prevent connector pins from bending or failing between the one or more modules, the power connectors, and the signal connectors.