A scalable switch architecture for ultra-large IP and lambda switch routers

Internet traffic growth and the growing variety of Internet applications require Internet backbone networks to be scalable and have sophisticated quality of service capabilities. Internet backbone routers have evolved to have sub-Tbps switching capacity in a single unit but their switch architectures have limited scalability, degrading their quality of service degrade, as the switches get bigger. This paper proposes a scalable switch architecture for ultra-large-scale switch routers. The system structure of the proposed backbone switch router is described and the requirements for the switching capabilities for near future demands are clarified. The new switch architecture using crossbar-based switching fabrics and optical interconnection devices allows a backbone switch router scale up to 82 Tbps, enabling light path switching as well as packet switching. The routing tag and its usage algorithm in the switch and the packaging issues, including the hardware quantities, are also discussed.