In this paper, we consider four-stage multicast switching networks with different types of nonblocking capability. The goal of the paper is multifold. First, we evaluate and summarize various nonblocking conditions of four-stage multicast switching networks in recent work [Y. Yang and J. Wang, “A New Design for Wide-Sense Nonblocking Multicast Switching Networks,” IEEE Trans. Commun., vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 497–504, Mar. 2005, and F. Yan , “Nonblocking Four-Stage Multicast Network for Mulicast-Capable Optical Cross Connects,” J. Lightw. Technol., vol. 27, no. 17, pp. 3923–2932, Sep. 2009], and then propose a locally-rearrangeable nonblocking (LRNB) multicast switching network as a trade-off for nonblocking capability and network hardware cost between wide-sense nonblocking (WSNB) networks and rearrangeable nonblocking (RNB) networks. We further derive optimized network parameters and present a comprehensive cost analysis for different types of four-stage nonblocking multicast switching networks. Using the terms defined in F. Yan , our results show that for an N × N network, a 4(2 m)-stage WSNB network and a 4(2 m)-stage LRNB network have 16.114 N^3/2 and 12.669 N^3/2 crosspoints, respectively; 4(3 m)-stage WSNB and LRNB networks have the same number of crosspoints, $11.657 N^3/2; and 4(2 m)-stage RNB network has 7.447 N^3/2 crosspoints.

© 2011 IEEE

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Citation lists with outbound citation links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription