FINE: a multicast scheduling algorithm for high-speed ATM switches

High-speed ATM switches mostly implement the memory architecture of advanced input queuing for unicast traffic. When handling multicast traffic this is infeasible due to the high cost it inserts. A set of multicast scheduling algorithms implementing input queuing has been proposed in the past. In this paper we present a new multicast scheduling algorithm, FINE, that maintains multiple queues for incoming packets in an M × N switch, a total of 2^N - 1 queues. FINE provides improved characteristics over alternatives as to the throughput it achieves and the fairness it ensures. In addition, it presents suppleness in keeping with the system´s properties and its applications features.