Extended Generalized Shuffle Networks: Sufficient Conditions for Strictly Nonblocking Operation

Since Clos gave the first construction of a strictly nonblocking multistage interconnection network, only a few other constructions have been proposed in almost a half-century. In this paper, we introduce a constructive class of networks which utilizes crossbars of virtually any size and for which the sizes can vary from stage to stage. The interconnection between stages is a generalized shuffle pattern. We derive sufficient conditions for strictly nonblocking operation and suggest the potential for wide application of these networks by providing several special case results. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Networks 33:269-291,1999