Distributed connection control and maintenance for an ATM multistage interconnection network

A distributed connection control protocol for an experimental ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) switch fabric is described. A switch fabric is a multistage interconnection network with path search, resource allocation and path marking (the so called connection control functions). The switch fabric is based on decentralized connection control functions within a multistage interconnection network. All actions of the connection control protocol start from the originating side of a connection, even for the connection release operation. Dead ends, i.e., erroneous terminating or broken connections, are detected with dedicated `explorer´ and `maintenance´ cells, whatever the reason for the problem may have been. Maintenance aspects of this kind of switch fabric architecture are discussed