A bladed panel system (1000, 2000, 3000) comprising: a chassis (1010, 2010, 3010, 3010', 3010") including a chassis housing defining an interior accessible through an open front and through a rear, the chassis (1010, 2010, 3010, 3010', 3010") also including a backplane (1400, 2400, 3040) at a rear of the chassis (1010, 2010, 3010, 3010', 3010"), the backplane (1400, 2400, 3040) including a plurality of blade ports facing the interior of the chassis and a processor port facing an exterior of the chassis (1010, 2010, 3010, 3010', 3010"); a plurality of blades (1100, 2100, 3100, 6100) coupled to the chassis (1010, 2010, 3010, 3010', 3010"), each blade (1100, 2100, 3100, 6100) being separately moveable relative to the chassis (1010, 2010, 3010, 3010', 3010") between a closed position and at least a first extended position, each blade (1100, 2100, 3100, 6100) being configured to connect to one of the blade ports of the backplane (1400, 2400, 3040), the system characterized by each blade (1100, 2100, 3100, 6100) including a blade processor (1140, 2140, 3140, 6140) and a plurality of smart couplers (1150, 2150, 3150, 3151, 3153, 6151) that define front ports configured to receive first media segments (1210, 2210, 3210) routed through the open front of the chassis (1010, 2010, 3010, 3010', 3010") and rear ports configured to receive second media segments (2220, 3220) routed through the rear of the chassis, the blade processor (1140, 2140, 3140, 6140) being configured to manage the smart couplers (1150, 2150, 3150, 3151, 3153, 6151) to obtain physical layer information from the first media segment (1210, 2210, 3210) received at the front ports, the blade processor (1140, 2140, 3140, 6140) being isolated from data signals propagated over the first and second media segments (1210, 2210, 3210, 2220, 3220); and a chassis processor (2600, 3060) electrically coupled to the processor port of the chassis backplane (1400, 2400, 3040), the chassis processor (2600, 3060) being electrically connected to each of the blade processors (1140, 2140, 3140, 6140) via the backplane (1400, 2400, 3040), the chassis processor (2600, 3060) being configured to manage the blade processors (1140, 2140, 3140, 6140). a chassis (1010, 2010, 3010, 3010', 3010") including a chassis housing defining an interior accessible through an open front and through a rear, the chassis (1010, 2010, 3010, 3010', 3010") also including a backplane (1400, 2400, 3040) at a rear of the chassis (1010, 2010, 3010, 3010', 3010"), the backplane (1400, 2400, 3040) including a plurality of blade ports facing the interior of the chassis and a processor port facing an exterior of the chassis (1010, 2010, 3010, 3010', 3010"); a plurality of blades (1100, 2100, 3100, 6100) coupled to the chassis (1010, 2010, 3010, 3010', 3010"), each blade (1100, 2100, 3100, 6100) being separately moveable relative to the chassis (1010, 2010, 3010, 3010', 3010") between a closed position and at least a first extended position, each blade (1100, 2100, 3100, 6100) being configured to connect to one of the blade ports of the backplane (1400, 2400, 3040), the system characterized by each blade (1100, 2100, 3100, 6100) including a blade processor (1140, 2140, 3140, 6140) and a plurality of smart couplers (1150, 2150, 3150, 3151, 3153, 6151) that define front ports configured to receive first media segments (1210, 2210, 3210) routed through the open front of the chassis (1010, 2010, 3010, 3010', 3010") and rear ports configured to receive second media segments (2220, 3220) routed through the rear of the chassis, the blade processor (1140, 2140, 3140, 6140) being configured to manage the smart couplers (1150, 2150, 3150, 3151, 3153, 6151) to obtain physical layer information from the first media segment (1210, 2210, 3210) received at the front ports, the blade processor (1140, 2140, 3140, 6140) being isolated from data signals propagated over the first and second media segments (1210, 2210, 3210, 2220, 3220); and a chassis processor (2600, 3060) electrically coupled to the processor port of the chassis backplane (1400, 2400, 3040), the chassis processor (2600, 3060) being electrically connected to each of the blade processors (1140, 2140, 3140, 6140) via the backplane (1400, 2400, 3040), the chassis processor (2600, 3060) being configured to manage the blade processors (1140, 2140, 3140, 6140).