TheCisco UCS X9508 Modular Chassis, part of the UCS X-Series architecture, is designedwithout a midplane, which marks a major shift from previous UCS models. Themidplane-free designis critical because:

✅Direct front-to-rear airflowis made possible without obstruction.

✅This airflow architectureenhances thermal efficiency, especially important duringcompute node replacementsor upgrades.

✅It allowsmodules to communicate via side-plane connectors, which are located on the sides rather than a fixed midplane.

This architecture:

Simplifies mechanical design

Reduces cooling complexity

Improvesmodularityandaccessibility

????Why the other options are incorrect:

A.Hot-swapping is supported, but notbecauseof midplane-free design—it's a UCS standard feature.

C.Upgrades to faster interconnects are enabled by side-plane I/O, not by midplane absence alone.

D.Power efficiency is a broader chassis feature, not specifically driven by the midplane design.