Backplane Connectors: Fundamental Technology Overview
Backplane connectors, also known simply as backplanes, are a type of board-to-board connector that get their name from their early use in mainframe computers, where they were located against the back of the computer case. Today, backplane connectors are generally used in top-of-rack switch applications or hybrid hard drive clusters .
Function and Architecture:
Expansion slots or sockets in the backplane are used to connect printed circuit boards (PCBs). In addition to connecting PCBs, backplanes integrate other system components, known as daughterboards. Parallel backplane connectors form a complete computer bus, which supports several daughterboards .
Key Advantages:
Backplane connectors are popular and widely used in the design of custom computer systems due to their versatility, scalability, modularity, and ease of use. They are considered more dependable than cables, which are subject to continual flexing that causes them to wear out more quickly .
Design Notes:
Standards: ARINC 659 (for avionics), EIA-616 (for telecom/electronic devices)
Form Factors: AT, ATX, LPX, NLX, and Eurocard sizes (A: 100x160 mm, B: 233x160 mm, C: 233x340 mm, D: 360x340 mm)
Bus Types: ISA, PCI, CompactPCI (cPCI), VMEbus, VXI, ETX, and ePCI-X
