A survey of fast packet switches

ABSTRACT

With the advent of optical fiber and its large bandwidth, many services, such as packetized data, voice, and video, are now becoming available on physical transmission lines. The high data rates, however, have created a demand for high speed switching. Included among the different strategies which have been proposed are fully- and non-fully-connected switches, intelligent and non-intelligent switching nodes, broadcast capability, input and output queueing, input concentration and output reentry, and path preallocation. Most switches have a modular design. This paper compares the Knockout Switch [1], a switch designed by Jonathan Turner [2, 3], a switch designed by Joseph Hui and Edward Arthurs [4], and the Starlite Switch [5] based on the strategies listed above. Advantages and disadvantages are cited and conclusions have been made about the tradeoffs involved with operating conditions. Finally, future issues affecting fast packet switching are described.

REFERENCES

• 1: [1] Y. S. Yeh, M. G. Hluchyi, and A. S. Acampora, "The Knockout Switch: A Simple, Modular Architecture for High-Performance Packet Switching," IEEE J. Select. Areas Commun., vol. SAC-5, pp. 1,274-1,283, Oct. 1987.
• 2: [2] J. S. Turner, "Design of a Broadcast Packet Network," in Proc. IEEE INFOCOM '86, Apr. 1986, pp. 667-675.
• 3: [3] R. G. Bubenick and J. S. Turner, "Performance of a Broadcast Packet Switch," IEEE Trans. Commun., vol. COM-37, pp. 60-69, Jan. 1989.
• 4: [4] J. Y. Hui and E. Arthurs, "A Broadband Packet Switch for Integrated Transport," IEEE J. Select. Areas Commun., vol. SAC-5, pp. 1,264-1,273, Oct. 1987.
• 5: [5] A. Huang and S. Knauer, "Starlite: A Wideband Digital Switch," GLOBECOM '84 Conf. Rec., pp. 121-125, Nov. 1984.
• 6: [6] M. J. Karol, M. G. Hluchyi, and S. P. Morgan, "Input vs. Output Queueing on a Space-Division Packet Switch," IEEE Trans. Commun., vol. COM-35, pp. 1,347-1,356, Dec. 1987.
• 7: [7] H. S. Hinton, "Photonic Switching Technology Applications," AT&T Technical Journal, vol. 66, pp. 41-53, May/June 1987.
• 8: [8] Chin-Tau Lea, "A New Broadcast Switching Network," IEEE Trans. Commun., vol. COM-36, pp. 1,128-1,137, Oct. 1988.
• 9: [9] A. S. Acampora and M. J. Karol, "An Overview of Lightwave Packet Networks," IEEE Network, pp. 29-40, Jan. 1989.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
      C.2.1 Network Architecture and Design
          Subjects: Circuit-switching networks

Additional Classification:
  B. Hardware
  B.4 INPUT/OUTPUT AND DATA COMMUNICATIONS
      B.4.3 Interconnections (subsystems)
          Subjects: Fiber optics

  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
      C.2.1 Network Architecture and Design
          Subjects: Packet-switching networks

General Terms:
Design, Measurement, Performance