Simultaneous transfers from a single input link to multiple output links with a timesliced crossbar

摘要

A method for scheduling a crossbar using distributed request-grant-accept arbitration between input group arbiters and output group arbiters in a switch unit is provided. The switch unit may be a hierarchical high radix switch with a timesliced crossbar that is configured to transfer packets between a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports, organized into groups, using wide words. The timesliced crossbar transfers data for a given packet once per supercycle, in a designated timeslice of that supercycle. Multiple buffered packets from one input port to multiple output ports are transferred by utilizing different timeslices of the supercycle.