Interconnection Network

An interconnection network is designed for transferring data between two processors in a Multi-stage network. Memory bottleneck is a fundamental limitation of Von-Neumann architecture. In multiprocessor systems the performance would be strictly affected in case data transfer amid processors is delayed. The multiprocessor system has one universal shared memory and every processor has a small local memory.  The processors are able to access data from memory coupled with other processor or from shared memory by means of an interconnection network. So, interconnection networks occupy a central job in determining overall performance of multiprocessor systems.  The interconnection networks are as customary network systems containing nodes and edges. The nodes are switches which have a small number of input and output (say n input and m output) lines. Depending on switch connection data is forwarded from input-lines to output-lines. The interconnection network is placed between several devices in multiprocessor network.

The architecture of a general multiprocessor is displayed in Figure below. In the multiprocessor systems these are many processor modules (every processor module contains a cache memory, processing element and small sized local memory), shared universal memory and shared peripheral devices.

Module corresponds with other modules peripheral devices and shared memory using Interconnection networks.