Performance analysis of a large-scale multicast output buffered ATM switch

Chao and Choe (1993) proposed a recursive modular architecture for implementing a large-scale multicast output buffered ATM switch (MOBAS). Four major functions of designing a multicast switch: cell replication, cell routing, cell contention resolution, and cell addressing, are all performed distributedly in the MOBAS, which allows the switch to grow. The architecture of the MOBAS has a regular and uniform structure and, thus, has the advantages of: (1) easy expansion due to the modular structure, (2) high integration density for VLSI implementation, (3) relaxed synchronization for data and clock signals, and (4) building the center switch fabric with a single type of chip. Multicast knockout principle, an extension of generalized knockout principle, is applied to construct the entire switch fabric so as to reduce the hardware complexity (e.g., the number of switch elements and interconnection wires) by almost one order of magnitude. In the present paper, the authors analyze a two-stage MOBAS in its cell loss rate and present some numerical results. They show that a switch that is designed, based on the multicast knockout principle, to meet the performance requirement for unicast calls will also satisfy the performance requirement for multicast calls.<<ETX>>