Optimized scalable network switch

Patent · Tue Dec 04 00:00:00 EST 2007

OSTI ID:920651

Blumrich, Matthias A ^[1]; Chen, Dong ^[2]; Coteus, Paul W ^[3]; Gara, Alan G ^[4]; Giampapa, Mark E ^[5]; Heidelberger, Philip ^[6]; Steinmacher-Burow, Burkhard D ^[4]; Takken, Todd E ^[4]; Vranas, Pavlos M ^[7]

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1. Ridgefield, CT
2. Croton On Hudson, NY
3. Yorktown Heights, NY
4. Mount Kisco, NY
5. Irvington, NY
6. Cortlandt Manor, NY
7. Bedford Hills, NY

In a massively parallel computing system having a plurality of nodes configured in m multi-dimensions, each node including a computing device, a method for routing packets towards their destination nodes is provided which includes generating at least one of a 2m plurality of compact bit vectors containing information derived from downstream nodes. A multilevel arbitration process in which downstream information stored in the compact vectors, such as link status information and fullness of downstream buffers, is used to determine a preferred direction and virtual channel for packet transmission. Preferred direction ranges are encoded and virtual channels are selected by examining the plurality of compact bit vectors. This dynamic routing method eliminates the necessity of routing tables, thus enhancing scalability of the switch.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY)
• Patent Number(s): 7,305,487
• Application Number: 10/469,001
• OSTI ID: 920651
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING