One drawback was that, unlike Ethernet, one machine failure (which could easily happen given a single faulty connector) stopped the entire network.

I would love to see everything consolidated into a single connector myself, but I'm realistic and patient enough to understand that it won't happen overnight.

Eventually, there was a desire to combine power and data signals into a single connector.

Other solutions suggest the use of a single, universal connector separating the function of the smart grid device and its communication module.

Some units have gate or trigger capabilities using a single or separate connectors.

A double width card allows more component space, but does not provide any additional power or bandwidth because it only uses a single connector.

No single connector has all the ideal properties; the proliferation of types is a reflection of differing requirements.

They would all connect to a common bus inside the chassis and connect outside the box with a single connector.

A laptop connects and disconnects easily to a docking station, typically through a single large proprietary connector.

Stick with a single, already-compact connector please.