Nonblocking Multirate Networks

Abstract

An extension of classical theory of connection networks is defined and studied. This extension models systems in which multiple connections of differing data rates share the links within a network. We determine conditions under which the Clos and Cantor networks are strictly nonblocking for multirate traffic. We also determine conditions under which the Benes Network and variants of the Cantor and Clos networks are rearrangeable. We find that strictly nonblocking operation can be obtained for multirate traffic with essentially the same complexity as in the classical context.