Patent ID: 8737067

Claim:
A rack system comprising: a first plurality of line cards, a particular one of the first plurality of line cards receiving or sending packets via ports; a second plurality of line cards, a particular one of the second plurality of line cards receiving or sending packets via ports; a plurality of fabric cards, a particular one of the plurality of fabric cards including a switching fabric, one of the plurality of fabric cards including a baffle that separates air flow across the one of the plurality of fabric cards into a first air flow and a second air flow, the baffle directing: the first air flow across an upper portion of the one of the plurality of fabric cards and toward the first plurality of line cards, and the second air flow across a lower portion of the one of the plurality of fabric cards and toward the second plurality of line cards; a first backplane that connects the first plurality of line cards to the plurality of fabric cards; and a second backplane that connects the second plurality of line cards to the plurality of fabric cards.