A trail-based deadlock-free routing scheme in wormhole-routed networks

This paper focuses on deadlock-free routing in wormhole-routed networks. A trail-based model is proposed to support deadlock-free routing in any networks with node degree no less than four. Basically, given a graph G representing an interconnection network, a walk in G is a finite sequence of edges. The trail-based model generalizes the trip-based model proposed earlier and it eliminates the need for virtual channels. Fundamentals of this model, including the necessary and sufficient condition of constructing a special trail for deadlock-free routing are investigated. The potential of this model is illustrated by applying it to meshes and hypercubes.