Abstract: An efficient multiplexing method is disclosed. The method includes receiving a message at a first of a plurality of ports. The message is associated with a destination. The method also includes, if the destination is the first of the plurality of ports, sending the message to the destination; else if the destination is a designated distributor, the method includes associating with the message a destination identifier of the first of the plurality of ports and sending the message to the designated distributor through a switching fabric. The method also includes, else if the destination is not the designated distributor, sending the message to the destination through the switching fabric. In a particular embodiment, the plurality of ports is the sum of one and n and the switching fabric uses n-to-one multiplexing logic, wherein n is a multiple of two.

Abstract: A data transfer method is disclosed. The method includes receiving a message at a first of a plurality of nodes in a network and retrieving from a memory forwarding data associated with the message. The method also includes, if a destination for the message is not a designated distributor, sending the message and at least a portion of the forwarding data through a switching fabric to a second of the plurality of nodes in response to the forwarding data, else if the destination for the message is the designated distributor, sending the message to the designated distributor through the switching fabric. The method also includes sending the message from the designated distributor through the fabric to a plurality of destinations in the network using the forwarding data. In a particular embodiment, the forwarding data may include a bit mask.