The details of switch fabric chip implementation can vary widely depending upon the capabilities the switch fabric design is intended to support and the switch chip chosen.
As we move toward a completely packet-based world, traditional TDM-based optical transport systems are evolving to more efficient backplane architectures using high-bandwidth Ethernet switch chips, where TDM data is transported across a packet fabric.
Designers, then, must know how optical transport system requirements map into Ethernet switch chip features. This includes interface protocols, port count, traffic classification, congestion management, and how to choose from the existing traffic tunneling methods that include the use of proprietary headers to identify unique traffic flows.
For information on matching switch chips to switch fabric requirements, read “Switch fabric requirements for optical transport systems” by Gary Lee of Fulcrum Microsystems in the June 2010 issue of Lightwave.
