System and method of tributary time-space switching

A switch comprising:

• a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs;
• each of the plurality of inputs receiving an input data stream carrying plural tributary payloads from an external input link, each of the plural tributary payloads switchable in space and time;
• a write controller causing input columns of the input data stream to be written to a common buffer according to a write pointer;
• and
• a read controller, in parallel with the write controller, causing the input columns to be read from the common buffer to output columns of an output data stream according to a read pointer, the read pointer selecting, for each of the output columns, an input column from a limited portion of the common buffer that contains a set of the input columns that are switchable in time to the corresponding output column according to a communication protocol and maintaining an order of input columns within each of the plural tributary payloads.

A switch comprising:

• a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs;
• each of the plurality of inputs receiving an input data stream carrying plural tributary payloads from an external input link, each of the plural tributary payloads switchable in space and time;
• a writing means for writing input columns of the input data stream to a common buffer according to a write pointer;
• and
• a read means for reading the input columns from common buffer to output columns of an output data stream according to a read pointer in parallel with the writing means, the read pointer selecting, for each of the output columns, an input column from a limited portion of the buffer that contains a set of the input columns that are switchable in time to the corresponding output column according to a communication protocol and maintaining an order of input columns within each of the plural tributary payloads.