Tuning buffer size in the multimedia router (MMR)

The primary objective of the Multimedia Router (MMR) project is the design and implementation of a compact router optimized for multimedia applications. The router is targeted for use in cluster and LAN interconnection networks, which offer different constraints and therefore differing router solutions than WANs. One of the key design parameters is the amount of buffer space, which is closely related to the silicon area required to implement the router. In this paper, the MMR performance obtained when varying the size of the input buffers is explored. Preliminary results show that buffers as small as one flit large suffice to guarantee QoS to both CBR and VBR traffic, thanks to the use of flow control and short links.