Abstract: A high performance switch fabric element and flexible link interconnection topologies and frame addressing techniques therefor are disclosed. The fabric element, which may be a 16 port ASIC with internal steerable interconnection among all ports. The fabric element ports each have a unique local routing table, thereby avoiding the need for a global routing table for ports as is provided in the prior art. This also permits addressing and routing from port to port within the fabric element without need for look-up references from off the fabric element, thereby contributing to speed. The fabric element can be used in multiples interconnected by unique link interconnection techniques including cascade, mesh, microstaging, and combinations thereof. These link interconnection techniques provide unique switch topologies that permit high performance switching chassis or network box having a significantly larger number of ports than is achievable with the prior art techniques.

Abstract: A high performance switch fabric element and flexible link interconnection topologies and frame addressing techniques therefor are disclosed. The fabric element, which may be a 16 port ASIC with internal steerable interconnection among all ports. The fabric element ports each have a unique local routing table, thereby avoiding the need for a global routing table for ports as is provided in the prior art. This also permits addressing and routing from port to port within the fabric element without need for look-up references from off the fabric element, thereby contributing to speed. The fabric element can be used in multiples interconnected by unique link interconnection techniques including cascade, mesh, microstaging, and combinations thereof. These link interconnection techniques provide unique switch topologies that permit high performance switching chassis or network box having a significantly larger number of ports than is achievable with the prior art techniques.

Abstract: High performance switching network topologies and frame addressing techniques therefor are disclosed. A two-dimensional Fibre Channel switch fabric is disclosed which combines a Class 1 connection space-division multiplexing sub-fabric, and Class 2 and 3 connectionless space- and time-division multiplexing sub-fabric. Networking topologies are disclosed for combining multiple modules to increase the number of supported ports. Addressing and frame routing techniques are provided for routing frames to any port in any module of a large interconnected network of modules.

Abstract: High performance switching network topologies and frame addressing techniques therefor are disclosed. A two-dimensional Fiber Channel switch fabric is disclosed which combines a Class 1 connection space-division multiplexing sub-fabric, and Class 2 and 3 connectionless space- and time-division multiplexing sub-fabric. Networking topologies are disclosed for combining multiple modules to increase the number of supported ports. Addressing and frame routing techniques are provided for routing frames to any port in any module of a large interconnected network of modules.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a multi-channel space-division switching network capable of providing dedicated line connections from a large number of inlets to a large number of outlets for either analog or digital communication. A flexible and highly modular space-division switching network is constructed using a basic digital exchange circuit element. This element is a basic building block which can be inexpensively manufactured and wired together in large numbers to form space-division switching networks which can be expanded or contracted according to a user's requirements and volume of communications. The building block element is constructed using line receiver/driver buffers as an interface to adapt a wide variety of communications media to the internal electronic media of the space-division switching network. The element also includes bus driver/receivers which are used to transfer communication information to and from intrastage and interstage buses.