Terminal reliability improvement of shuffle-exchange network systems

Abstract

Multistage Interconnection Networks (MINs) are communication network systems that provide fast and efficient information transitions among N processors and N memory modules of systems. A typical MIN consists of layers of switching elements that are connected together in a predefined topology. The routing capability of a network depends on its specific topology. A shuffle-exchange network (SEN), a specific type of MIN that consists of 2 × 2 switching elements, has been widely considered a practical interconnection system. In this paper, a modified shuffle-exchange network with 1 × 2 switching elements at the input (source) stage, 2 × 2 switching elements at the intermediate stages, and 2 × 1 switching elements at the output (terminal) stage is proposed. The proposed network shows an improvement in the terminal reliability of SEN. The terminal reliability evaluation of the SEN and the modified SEN are demonstrated through numerical examples for different sizes of networks. The reliability evaluation of MINs is important, as it determines the usability and efficiency of the network to provide services. It is shown that the proposed modified SEN provides higher terminal reliability for network sizes larger than 4 inputs and 4 outputs (4 × 4).