A system comprising: a backplane including a connector; at least one electrical load configured to mate with the connector; and a smart power system integrated within the backplane, the smart power system comprising: a microcontroller; a power converter electrically connected to the microcontroller, the power converter configured to convert electrical energy from one form to another; a switch element (114, 116) electrically connected to the microcontroller, the switch element (114, 116) configured to control distribution of the converted electrical energy to at least one electrical load; a sense element (118, 120) electrically connected to the at least one electrical load and to the microcontroller, the sense element (118, 120) configured to monitor the converted electrical energy distributed to the at least one electrical load, the sense element (118, 120) configured to furnish a feedback signal based upon the converted electrical energy; and wherein the microcontroller is configured to verify and to monitor the power converter and configured to control and to monitor distribution of the converted electrical energy to the at least one electrical load based upon the feedback signal; characterised by a controller integrated with the backplane and electrically connected to the at least one electrical load and to the microcontroller, the controller configured to receive diagnostic information from the at least one electrical load and to bi-directionally communicate with the microcontroller, the controller configured to furnish the diagnostic information to the microcontroller, wherein the controller and the microcontroller each include a respective key, the controller configured to prevent the microcontroller from operating if the controller cannot identify the key associated with the microcontroller, the microcontroller configured to prevent the controller from operating if the microcontroller cannot identify the key associated with the controller. a backplane including a connector; at least one electrical load configured to mate with the connector; and a smart power system integrated within the backplane, the smart power system comprising: a microcontroller; a power converter electrically connected to the microcontroller, the power converter configured to convert electrical energy from one form to another; a switch element (114, 116) electrically connected to the microcontroller, the switch element (114, 116) configured to control distribution of the converted electrical energy to at least one electrical load; a sense element (118, 120) electrically connected to the at least one electrical load and to the microcontroller, the sense element (118, 120) configured to monitor the converted electrical energy distributed to the at least one electrical load, the sense element (118, 120) configured to furnish a feedback signal based upon the converted electrical energy; and wherein the microcontroller is configured to verify and to monitor the power converter and configured to control and to monitor distribution of the converted electrical energy to the at least one electrical load based upon the feedback signal; characterised by a microcontroller; a power converter electrically connected to the microcontroller, the power converter configured to convert electrical energy from one form to another; a switch element (114, 116) electrically connected to the microcontroller, the switch element (114, 116) configured to control distribution of the converted electrical energy to at least one electrical load; a sense element (118, 120) electrically connected to the at least one electrical load and to the microcontroller, the sense element (118, 120) configured to monitor the converted electrical energy distributed to the at least one electrical load, the sense element (118, 120) configured to furnish a feedback signal based upon the converted electrical energy; and wherein the microcontroller is configured to verify and to monitor the power converter and configured to control and to monitor distribution of the converted electrical energy to the at least one electrical load based upon the feedback signal; characterised by a controller integrated with the backplane and electrically connected to the at least one electrical load and to the microcontroller, the controller configured to receive diagnostic information from the at least one electrical load and to bi-directionally communicate with the microcontroller, the controller configured to furnish the diagnostic information to the microcontroller, wherein the controller and the microcontroller each include a respective key, the controller configured to prevent the microcontroller from operating if the controller cannot identify the key associated with the microcontroller, the microcontroller configured to prevent the controller from operating if the microcontroller cannot identify the key associated with the controller.