Nonblocking architectures for ATM switching

General models for a class of nonblocking architectures of asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switches are described. Hardware aspects are discussed to show the implementation feasibility of the proposed switch architectures by means of the current technology. Performance issues are studied to point out the traffic bottlenecks of the different structures. It is shown that the classification of queueing is the main concept that enables the classification of nonblocking ATM switches. Three main packet queueing strategies can be adopted in the switching fabric: input queueing, shared queueing, and output queueing. Switch architectures adopting only one of these strategies are described. The ways in which two strategies can be jointly adopted in a switching fabric to result in the mixed queueing strategies input-output queueing, input-shared queueing, and shared-output queueing are also discussed