Data network switch with fault tolerance

摘要

PCT No. PCT/US96/05029 Sec. 371 Date Oct. 7, 1997 Sec. 102(e) Date Oct. 7, 1997 PCT Filed Apr. 9, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO96/32790 PCT Pub. Date Oct. 17, 1996An ATM data network switch having two separate but simultaneously active switch fabrics and a plurality of slot controllers is disclosed. Each slot controller has at least one external data link thereto and is separately connected to the two separate switch fabrics. Each switch fabric was the ability to switch a data cell transmitted from any one of the slot controllers to any of the other slot controllers. Each slot controller is arranged to determine the availability of the data paths to all the other slot controllers through both switch fabrics and to select for each cell to be switched a data path through one or the other of the switch fabric according to the availability determined.