Patent ID: 8009438

Claim:
A server backplane infrastructure comprising: a passive power backplane configured to distribute power and comprising a first set of alignment holes, wherein the passive power backplane is without active components, wherein the passive power backplane is provided with a conductive structure to distribute power but the passive power backplane does not route signals, and wherein the passive power backplane has power delivery pins; a signal backplane separate from the passive power backplane and configured to route interface signals and comprising a second set of alignment holes, wherein the signal backplane has signal connectors and power input elements receiving and electrically connected to a subset of the power delivery pins to provide power to the signal backplane; a set of common alignment pins, each alignment pin having an axis, wherein the set of common alignment pins are inserted into the first set of alignment holes and the second set of alignment holes to align the passive power backplane and the signal backplane about the axis; and a base bracket, wherein the set of common alignment pins extends from the base bracket, wherein an assembly of the aligned passive power backplane and the signal backplane provides an arrangement of the signal connectors and the power delivery pins, the arrangement having a first group of the signal connectors and the power delivery pins along a first side of the signal backplane, and a second group of the signal connectors and the power delivery pins along a second side of the signal backplane, and wherein the signal connectors and the power delivery pins of the arrangement are configured for connection to corresponding connectors of electronic devices.