SXmin: a self-routing, high-performance ATM packet switch based on group-knockout principle

We propose SXmin: a self routing, group knockout principle based, fast ATM packet switch which provides comparable delay-throughput performance and packet loss probabilities at significantly reduced hardware requirements as compared to earlier switches. The N/spl times/N SXmin consists of an N/spl times/N Batcher (1968) sorter followed by log/sub 2/ N-1 stages of sort-expander (SX) modules arranged in the form of a complete binary tree. Each stage of SX modules expands the number of inputs by a factor determined by the group knockout principle, thus allowing the simultaneous arrival of multiple input packets destined to the output group corresponding to each SX module. Routing at each switch is controlled by a single bit. However, in case of contention, a dual bit resolution algorithm is used focally which drops excess packets in a predetermined manner while ensuring global randomness of packet loss over the entire switching network.