A high-performance switch with applications to frame relay networks

A design is proposed for an n × n switch to be used in frame-relay networks. The design is based on a single storage unit for packets and a hardware-based mechanism for handling simultaneously arriving packets over different input channels which may be intended for the same output channel. The switch is flexible in that it can handle variable-length packets, a large number of input/output channels, and a wide range of channel speeds. It can perform cut-through switching and thus decrease packet delay through the network. It allows the design of high-throughput frame-relay nodes, simplifying the design and management of large networks. Its use of a hardware-implemented dynamic scheme for allocating storage allows efficient utilization of buffer space.