A General Expansion Architecture for Large-Scale Multicast ATM Switches

|This paper proposes a multicast Universal Multistage Interconnection Network (multicast UniMIN) switch architecture for constructing large-scale multicast ATM switches with any type of small multicast switch. The proposed architecture consists of a bu ered distribution network that can perform cell routing and replication simultaneously, and a column of output switch modules (OSMs). The adoption of channel grouping and virtual rstinrst-out (FIFO) bu ers results in high delay/throughput performance, and the distributed lookup table scheme for multicast addressing greatly reduces the size of a single lookup table. Analytical and simulation results show that high delay/throughput performance is obtained for both unicast and multicast tra c, and the proposed architecture yields an even better performance for multicast tra c than for unicast tra c. In addition, the multicast UniMIN switch has such good features as modular expandability, simple hardware, and no internal speed-up operation.