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. >