Switch fabrics

We examined a spectrum of (unbuffered) switching architectures and explored various design alternatives, where each is marked by its own merits and drawbacks. A number of trade-offs between the various switching architectures in terms of their characteristics (such as performance, implementation complexity, scalability, and cost) emerge. Hence, the wide variety of available switching fabrics means that no single architecture emerges as the only winning proposition. The ultimate decision is upon the switch architect, based on the overall system design requirements and specifications.