Abstract: A method for allocating bandwidth and routing paths for isochronous packets of a data stream in a network of buses including a source bus and one or more remote destination buses interconnected by a switching fabric is described and implemented in a data network. A network management node is assigned from an available network node and weight is allocated to each channel input output, CIO, based on existing path allocations. For a new request, bandwidth allocation for the isochronous packets in the source bus is obtained and the network management node negotiates bandwidth and routing path allocation for the isochronous packets in the switching fabric and remote destination buses. The network management node obtains bandwidth allocation for the isochronous packets on the remote destination bus and selects the optimal routing path in the switching fabric in dependence on the bandwidth requirements of the data stream and assigned weights.

Abstract: A method and data a network for routing data packets is described. Switches are connected in a three-dimensional architecture (11) to form a switching fabric providing horizontal data routing according to addresses and vertical data routing according to packet types. An allocation procedure is then executed to manage the bandwidth resources of said fabric, resulting with assigning routing tables at the switches and portals prior to forwarding the packets to the switch fabric, a hop-by-hop packet flow is then executed through said switches of said switch fabric. Packet flow is controlled by an output port having an output port state machine and an output port concentrator.