Patent ID: 8060682

Claim:
A switch system to network a plurality of systems, comprising: a plurality of leaf modules, each of the leaf module having a plurality of internal ports; a plurality of spine modules, each of the spine module having a plurality of ports; and a midplane with a plurality of first layers, a plurality of second layers and a plurality of third layers, the plurality of first layers disposed closer to a first side of the midplane, the plurality of second layers disposed closer to a second side of the midplane and the plurality of third layers disposed between the plurality of first layers and the plurality of second layers; wherein the midplane is configured to receive the plurality of leaf modules and the plurality of spine modules about both the first side and the second side and a plurality of conductors disposed about the third layer configured to couple internal ports of the leaf modules disposed about one side to a port of spine module disposed about the other side; wherein a plurality of conductors disposed about the first layer configured to couple internal ports of the leaf modules disposed about the first side to a port of spine module disposed about the first side; wherein a plurality of conductors disposed about the second layer configured to couple internal ports of the leaf modules disposed about the second side to a port of spine module disposed about the second side; and wherein the midplane includes a top portion, a bottom portion, a mid portion disposed between the top portion and the bottom portion and a plurality of first midplane connectors disposed about the mid portion, the plurality of second midplane connectors disposed about the top portion and the bottom portion.