Previous studies have shown that when the network is subject to the pin-out constraint, the network topology exhibiting the best performance depends on the network size. These studies have assumed single flit buffers. Deploying finite size buffers, however, may add extra complexity to the router design and hence will influence the cost and the performance of the network. This paper reinvestigates analytically the relative performance merits of different k-ary n-cube topologies combining wormhole switching, adaptive routing, multiple virtual channels and finite size buffers. The results reveal new insights demonstrating the sensitivity of these studies to the level of detail and realism incorporated in the analysis.
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