Abstract: A novel multi-stage folded Clos network and a linecard for use in a network is disclosed. The Clos network can consist of three stages, an access stage, a lower stage, and an upper stage. The access stage and the upper stage can include a plurality of switches or conventional access points. The lower stage can include a plurality of linecards. Each linecard can be made of two switch chips, each of which are connected to the ports of the linecard, and contain the same number of ports. Each switch chip can forward information in only one direction and one is used to send direction from the access stage to the upper stage, and the other from the upper stage to the access stage. The lower stage can consist of a number of sub-stages, each sub-stage can be entirely of either conventional switches or linecards.

Abstract: A novel multi-stage folded Clos network and a linecard for use in a network is disclosed. The Clos network can consist of three stages, an access stage, a lower stage, and an upper stage. The access stage and the upper stage can include a plurality of switches or conventional access points. The lower stage can include a plurality of linecards. Each linecard can be made of two switch chips, each of which are connected to the ports of the linecard, and contain the same number of ports. Each switch chip can forward information in only one direction and one is used to send direction from the access stage to the upper stage, and the other from the upper stage to the access stage. The lower stage can consist of a number of sub-stages, each sub-stage can be entirely of either conventional switches or linecards.