Data transfer device with configurable slot sizes and methods of using the same

1. A data transfer device comprising:

a chassis;

a backplane;

a slot arranged within the chassis and configured to hold a card;

a connector system integrated on the backplane and configured to electrically couple the card with the backplane;

wherein the connector system includes a group of connectors arranged along a length of the slot such that a plurality of cards with card lengths less than the length of the slot may be electrically coupled to the backplane within a single slot;

a plurality of holes located along the backplane, the plurality of holes including individual holes located between connectors in a group of connectors; and

a divider configured to removeably attach to the backplane along the length of the slot and assist in holding a plurality of cards with card lengths less than the length of the slot the divider comprising:

a guide on a top surface and a guide on a bottom surface wherein each guide is designed to receive a card edge;

a press fit post extending outward from a back of the divider, the press fit post designed to press into one of the holes in the plurality of holes;

a removeable side bracket, the removeable side bracket including an interface designed to receive a fastener;

mating holes on each end of a front surface of the divider, the mating holes spaced from an edge of the divider appropriately to allow mating with a side bracket of another divider and,

a number of threaded holes on the front surface designed to receive the thumb screws of a card.

2. The data transfer device of claim 1 , wherein a pin configuration of each connector in the group of connectors includes both power pins and data pins.

3. The data transfer device of claim 2 , wherein the pin configuration of each connector in the group of connectors is identical.

4. The data transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the chassis includes a plurality of slots and a majority of the slots have the identical group of connectors arranged along a length of each slot.

5. The data transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the divider is configured to removeably attach to the chassis or another divider in an adjacent slot via the interface on the removeable side bracket.

6. The data transfer device of claim 3 , wherein connectors within a group have pins in the same relative position connected to the same buses.

7. The data transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the data transfer device is designed to hold optical networking cards.

8. The data transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the group of connectors comprises three connectors spaced approximately equally along the length of the slot.

9. The data transfer device of claim 1 , wherein all the connectors within the group of connectors are CompactPCI connectors.

10. The data transfer device of claim 1 further comprising:

a first card of a first length in the slot; and

a second card of a second length, substantially different from the first length of the first card, in a second slot.

11. The data transfer device claim 10 , further comprising a third card of a third length, substantially different from the first length of the first card, in the second slot.

12. The data transfer device of claim 11 , wherein the second card and the third card are the same length.

13. The data transfer device of claim 11 , further comprising a fourth card of a fourth length, substantially different from the first length of the first card, in the second slot.

14. The data transfer device of claim 10 , wherein the first card is electrically coupled to the backplane by a first connector in a first group of connectors arranged along the length of the slot and the second card is electrically coupled to the backplane by a second connector in a second group of connectors arranged along a length of the second slot and wherein the first connector and the second connector are located in different locations along the length of their respective slots.