Method and apparatus for reconfiguring a signal path in a computing system

A method and apparatus are provided for reconfiguring a computing system on a system domain-by-system domain basis. The apparatus comprises a computing system having a plurality of system domains, a centerplane interconnecting the system domains, and a system controller. The system controller is capable of detecting a condition triggering a reconfiguration and reconfiguring a signal path affected by the condition from a first mode to a second mode. The method reconfigures a signal path in a computing system including a plurality of system domains by the steps of: detecting a condition triggering a reconfiguration of the computing system; reconfiguring a signal path affected by the condition from a first mode to a second mode responsive to detecting the condition; leaving the unaffected system domains configured in the first mode; and operating the affected system domains in the second mode and the unaffected system domains in the first mode.