Reliability of crossbar switches in an information processing system

摘要

An information processing apparatus includes a crossbar switch having a plurality of switching circuits for data transfer; connection lines having address data transfer paths of m-bit unit connected to each of the input/output ports of the switching circuits, control signal transfer paths of m-bit unit connected to each of the input/output ports of the control circuits and back-up transfer paths of m-bit unit connected to each of the input/output ports of the back-up circuits; and transfer path processing circuit connected correspondingly to the connection lines constructed by the n-bit provided on each of the processing units, monitored transfer of data and control signal between the processing units through the switching circuit and the control circuit in the crossbar switch, and detected a failure of at least the switching circuit and the control circuit to thereby change the connection of at least one of the failed switching circuit and control circuit to a connection of the back-up circuit.