Network Algorithmics, 2nd Edition

Chapter 13: Switching

I'd rather fight than switch.

—Tareyton Cigarettes ad, quoted by Bartlett's

Abstract

A router is basically an automated post office for packets. Recall that we are using the word router in a generic sense to refer to a general interconnection device, such as a gateway or a SAN switch. The packet scheduling done at the outbound link (B3 in Fig. 13.1) is described in Chapter 14. However, the guts of a router remain its internal switching system (B2 in Fig. 13.1), which is discussed in this chapter. This chapter is organized as follows. Section 13.1 compares router switches to telephone switches. Section 113.2 details the simplicity and limitations of a shared memory switch. Section 13.3 describes router evolution, from shared ...