Arbitration of data transfer requests

An apparatus for arbitrating data transfer requests from a plurality of nodes, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises program instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
• specify one or more specified nodes among the plurality of nodes requesting to send data to a receiving node, the one or more nodes satisfying a predetermined condition;
• assign priority information, implemented as priority values in a matrix, to the plurality of nodes, the priority information being an association between each of the plurality of nodes and one of a plurality of priorities, each column of the matrix representing a priority of the plurality of priorities;
• sequentially shift columns of the matrix so that each one of the plurality of priorities is assigned equally to each of the plurality of nodes, such that high and low priorities between pairs of priorities e equally assigned to a pair of nodes of the plurality of nodes;
• and
• select, from among the specified nodes satisfying the predetermined condition, a node having a highest priority information as a sending node to transfer data to a receiving node among the plurality of nodes.

A computer program product for arbitrating data transfer requests from a plurality of nodes, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to:

• specify one or more specified nodes among the plurality of nodes requesting to send data to a receiving node, the one or more nodes satisfying a predetermined condition;
• assign priority information, implemented as priority values in a matrix, to the plurality of nodes, the priority information being an association between each of the plurality of nodes and one of a plurality of priorities, each column of the matrix representing a priority of the plurality of priorities;
• sequentially shift columns of the matrix so that each one of the plurality of priorities is assigned equally to each of the plurality of nodes, such that high and low priorities between pairs of priorities are equally assigned to a pair of nodes of the plurality of nodes;
• and
• select, from among the specified nodes satisfying the predetermined condition, one node having a highest priority information as a sending node to transfer data to a receiving node among the plurality of nodes.