Method and apparatus for dividing a single serial enclosure management bit stream into multiple enclosure management bit streams and for providing the respective bit streams to respective midplanes

摘要

A controller is provided that receives a single enclosure management (EM) serial bit stream from an expander or other device and divides the EM serial bit stream into multiple EM serial bit streams for delivery to multiple respective midplanes or backplanes. In this way, a separate EM serial bit stream is provided to each midplane or backplane without having to increase the number of ports that are available on the expander or other device that interfaces with the backplane or midplane.