The authors describe PHOENIX, a self-routing, crosspoint buffered2×2 VLSI switching element being developed for fault-tolerant,flexible broadband packet switching at 150 Mbit/s. A variety ofarchitectures of different sizes can be implemented using this chip as abuilding block. PHOENIX employs self-checking logic for concurrent errordetection. An error indication can be used either to trigger adaptiverouting or to switch in a standby fabric. Alternative routing can beused for tolerating faults without having the packets arrive out oforder. PHOENIX is ideally suited for implementing multistageinterconnection networks. One particular variation of the banyannetwork, called the MD-Omega network, which employs both space and timeredundancy for fault tolerance, is described in some detail. Blocking inPHOENIX based switches is reduced by a combination of crosspointbuffering and internal speedup. An ATM (asynchronous transfer mode)switched based on the MD-Omega network gives reasonable performanceunder uniform and bursty traffic
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