Architecture for an output buffered switch with input groups

A method, comprising:

• transferring data between the components in a system through a proximity communication switch;
• wherein the proximity communication switch includes multiple switch chips which are coupled together and are configured to collectively function as a switch, wherein the multiple switch chips communicate using proximity communication;
• wherein each switch chip is coupled to a subset of a set of inputs and a subset of a set of outputs for the switch, wherein each switch chip includes a set of buffers, each buffer being coupled between the subset of inputs on a corresponding one of the switch chips and a corresponding output, so that the buffer is exclusively shared among the subset of inputs coupled to the corresponding one of the switch chips, wherein each output is coupled to a plurality of buffers, wherein each of the buffers coupled to an output is coupled to a different subset of the set of the inputs to the switch, and wherein the total number of buffers in all of the switch chips equals the product of the number of outputs coupled to the switch and the number of switch chips;
• and
• wherein transferring data between the components comprises, for each switch chip:
• receiving one or more cells on one or more inputs in the subset of the set of inputs coupled to the switch chip;
• scheduling conflict-free transfers of the one or more received cells from the subset of the set of inputs to the corresponding buffers shared among the subset of inputs;
• transferring the received cells to the buffers in accordance with the schedule to be stored in the buffer to which the cell is transferred;
• and
• forwarding the cells from the buffers to the corresponding outputs coupled to the switch chip.

A computer system, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one memory holds data and instructions for the at least one processor;
• multiple switch chips which are coupled together and are configured to collectively function as a switch, wherein the multiple switch chips are configured to communicate with each other using proximity communication;
• wherein the switch is configured to transfer data between a set of components in the computer system, wherein the set of components includes the at least one processor and the at least one memory;
• wherein each switch chip is coupled to a subset of a set of inputs to the switch and wherein each switch chip is coupled to a subset of a set of outputs from the switch;
• and
• a transferring mechanism in each switch chip configured to receive cells from the subset of the set of inputs and to selectively transfer the each of the cells to at least one output of the subset of the set of outputs coupled to the switch chip or of the subset of the set of outputs coupled to the other switch chips;
• a plurality of buffers in each switch chip, each buffer being coupled between the subset of inputs on a corresponding switch chip and a corresponding output, so that the buffer is exclusively shared among a subset of inputs coupled to a respective switch chip, wherein each output is coupled to a plurality of buffers, and wherein each of the buffers coupled to an output is coupled to a different subset of the set of the inputs to the switch;
• wherein the total number of buffers in the multiple switch chips equals the product of the number of outputs coupled to the switch and the number of switch chips.