On the relative performance merits of hypercube and hypermesh networks

Topology and routing algorithm are among the most important factors that greatly influence network performance. This paper assesses the interaction of these factors on two related but distinct types of multicomputer networks, the hypercube and hypermesh. This study shows that the routing algorithm can have a great influence on deciding the outcome of any comparison between competing network topologies. The results reveal that deterministic routing favours the hypermesh due to its smaller diameter which reduces considerably message blocking compared to the hypercube. However, adaptive routing favours the hypercube as it can benefit from its multiple paths to overcome the degrading effects of its high diameter.