Network topology with asymmetric fabrics

A multi-fabric network with asymmetric fabrics for interconnecting multi-port user nodes, comprising:

• a first fabric having a first plurality of multi-port devices configured as switches or routers interconnected with a first plurality of user node ports whereby said first plurality of user node ports are interconnected through one or more of the first plurality of multi-port devices;
• and
• a second fabric having a second plurality of multi-port devices configured as switches or routers interconnected with a second plurality of user node ports whereby said second plurality of user node ports are interconnected through one or more of the second plurality of multi-port devices, the first fabric and the second fabric being asymmetrical with at least one path in the first and second fabrics, respectively, between a pair of user nodes being different in length thereby causing one or both of increased bisection bandwidths, and reduced internode distances.

The network as defined in claim in 14 wherein each fabric comprises two 12-port devices for interconnecting 16 user nodes, a first 12-port device in one of the fabrics being connected to nodes 1-8 and the second 12-port device in that fabric being connected to nodes 9-16, a first 12-port device in another one of the fabrics being connected to nodes 5-12 and a second 12-port device in that fabric being connected to nodes 1-4 and 13-16, the first and second 12-port devices in each fabric being connected by 4 links.

A method of structuring a network for interconnecting multi-port user nodes, comprising:

• providing a first switch group having a first plurality of multi-port devices configured as cross bar switches or routers interconnected with a first plurality of user node ports whereby said first plurality of user node ports are interconnected through one or more of the first plurality of devices;
• and
• providing a second switch group having a second plurality of multi-port devices configured as cross bar switches or routers interconnected with a second plurality of user node ports wherein said second plurality of user node ports are interconnected through one or more of the second plurality of devices, the first switch group and the second switch group being asymmetrical with at least one path in the first and second switch groups being different in length thereby causing one or both of increased bisection bandwidth, and reduced internode distances.

A network with asymmetric fabrics for interconnecting multi-port user nodes, comprising:

• a first switch group having a first plurality of multi-port devices configured as switches or routers interconnected with a first plurality of user node ports whereby said first plurality of user node ports are interconnected through one or more of the first plurality of devices;
• and
• a second switch group having a second plurality of multi-port devices configured as switches or routers interconnected with a second plurality of user node ports whereby said second plurality of user node ports are interconnected through one or more of the second plurality of devices, the first group and the second group being asymmetrical with at least one path path in the first and second fabrics, respectively, between a pair of user nodes being different in length, thereby causing one or both of increased bisection bandwidth, and reduced internode distances.

A network topology with asymmetric fabrics for interconnecting node ports, comprising:

• a first fabric having a first plurality of devices configured as switches or routers for interconnecting the node ports;
• and
• a second fabric having a second plurality of devices configured as switches or routers for interconnecting the node ports, the second fabric being asymmetrical to the first fabric by having a distance -n in the first fabric between nodes in the first fabric that is not a distance -n in the second fabric between these nodes, thereby causing one or both of increased bisection bandwidth and-, reduced internode distances.