Network Switch Circuit Scale Reduction via Serial Number Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network switches using crossbar switches face an increase in circuit scale and complexity, particularly when handling multicast transfers, due to the need for numerous serial number setting and sorting circuits as the number of transmitting side transfer devices increases, which can lead to incorrect cell sequence and increased traffic.
Innovation Solution
A network switch design that sets consecutive serial numbers for unit data across all crossbar switches regardless of destination, using a serial number setting unit and distributing unit to manage data across multiple crossbar switches, and employs a unit data extraction unit to maintain sequence integrity, even in the absence of data from specific transmitting side transfer units, while also handling wrap-around scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a CSN is set for each cell destination to maintain transfer sequence, then data sequence integrity is improved, but the number of circuits increases rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the CSN management function by introducing a dedicated sorting buffer that stores cells temporarily. This allows the system to maintain sequence integrity without requiring complex per-destination CSN setting circuits, as the sorting buffer handles the reordering function separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The sorting buffer acts as an intermediary component between the crossbar switches and the output. It mediates the sequence maintenance function, allowing cells to be reordered without requiring complex control circuits at each destination, thus reducing overall circuit complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If multiple CSN setting circuits are provided for multicast transfer to multiple transmitting side transfer devices, then transfer sequence is maintained for all destinations, but circuit scale increases rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The sorting buffer serves multiple destinations simultaneously, providing a universal solution for sequence maintenance. Instead of having separate CSN setting circuits for each transmitting side transfer device, a single sorting buffer handles reordering for all destinations, reducing circuit scale while maintaining transfer sequence integrity for multicast transfers.
3Reliability
If cells are sorted using conventional CSN methods, then correct packet restoration is achieved, but traffic between receiving and crossbar switches increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sorting buffer performs preliminary sorting of cells before they are forwarded to transmitting side transfer devices. By pre-sorting cells based on their destination and sequence number, the system ensures correct packet restoration without requiring additional traffic for retransmission or reordering, thus reducing overall traffic volume while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A network switch with a plurality of crossbar switches that is available to suppress increase in the circuit scale is provided. The network switch has: the plurality of crossbar switches that transfer unit data in a specified format; a receiving side transfer unit that transfers data received from a network to the plurality of crossbar switches in the unit data basis; and a plurality of transmitting side transfer units that transmit data transferred from the plurality of crossbar switches to the network. The receiving side transfer sets a consecutive serial number to the unit data in transfer sequence, and distributes the unit data to the plurality of crossbar switches. Each of the plurality of transmitting side transfer units has a plurality of queues for the respective crossbar switches that stores the transferred unit data, and extracts the unit data with smallest serial number of the unit data stored in the queues when all of the queues store the unit data.