Recursive copy generation for multicast ATM switching

This paper describes the structure of a multicast asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching node employing a recursive copy generation algorithm, based on a self-routing network with a limited copying capability and a few added elements. With the network generates only a few copies a time of an input multicast cell, the remaining are obtained by recycling the output copies to the corresponding inputs as many times as necessary. The proposed recursive copy generation is also suitable to dynamically include new destinations and to delete old ones. The performance of the proposed structure, that has been implemented in a test-bed prototype, is also evaluated in terms of throughput and delay, via computer simulation, showing a possible performance improvement for multicast traffic with respect to an equivalent unicast input traffic. The cell loss probability in such structure is also evaluated.