Buffer requirements for ATM switches with multiserver output queues

A fast packet switch with shared-memory output queueing is considered, in which each destination group contains multiple-output links. An approximate calculation technique is presented to determine the overflow probability of the shared buffer of such a switch. Exact analytic results are also obtained for the mean buffer contents. Using the results of the analysis, a comparison of the buffer requirements for various switch structures is made, showing that grouping the output links may be quite advantageous.