Several chassis-based, modular computer systems target server-based applications, such as the IBM BladeCenter™ computer systems. Currently, such server-based computer systems limit support for telephone company (telco) style interfaces, thereby limiting the integration of server-based platforms with the processing of telephony data. Currently, these same server-based computer systems limit support for front panel input/output (I/O) due to air filter placement and lack of defined cut-outs in a standards-based way to support front panel I/O. In addition, there is a need, not found in the prior art, to support redundancy and switching of telco traffic within server-based chassis.
There is a need, not met in the prior art, to allow server-based computer systems to receive and process telephony data through telco I/O interfaces in the rear side of the chassis. Accordingly, there is a significant need for an apparatus that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art outlined above.
Elements in the Figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the Figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, the terms “first”, “second”, and the like herein, if any, are used inter alia for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. Moreover, the terms “front”, “back”, “top”, “bottom”, “over”, “under”, and the like in the Description and/or in the Claims, if any, are generally employed for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for comprehensively describing exclusive relative position. Any of the preceding terms so used may be interchanged under appropriate circumstances such that various embodiments of the invention described herein may be capable of operation in other configurations and/or orientations than those explicitly illustrated or otherwise described.