Control structure of a 4×4 by 40 Gbit/sec ATM switch
Steven E. Butner · 2002
This paper discusses the control architecture of a very high performance 4-input, 4-output asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch that has been designed as part of the ARPA-sponsored "Thunder and Lightning" project at the University of California, Santa Barbara. This research project is focused on the design and prototype demonstration of ATM links and switches operating at or above 40 gigabits per second per link (TDM), with potential scalability to 100 Gbit/sec. Such aggressive link rates place severe requirements on the switch architecture, particularly the buffering scheme. We discuss the control paths and techniques used in this ATM switch and describe reasons for the main design choices.