Patent ID: 7334064

Claim:
A server blade, comprising: a computer, having an input/output (I/O) port; and an I/O interface controller, comprising: an I/O port coupled via an I/O link to said I/O port of said computer, for transferring data therewith; and a local bus interface, for interfacing to a local bus; wherein the server blade comprises a field replaceable unit (FRU) including said computer and said I/O interface controller, configured to plug into a backplane comprising said local bus, thereby enabling data transfers with other FRUs coupled to said backplane; wherein said I/O interface controller comprises a portion of a storage controller whose remaining portions are comprised in said other FRUs coupled to said backplane; wherein said I/O interface controller is programmable via said local bus by a microprocessor of said storage controller to perform data transfers between said computer and storage devices controlled by said storage controller, wherein at least one of said other FRUs comprises said microprocessor.