What is a HIPPI Switch ??

• A Full Duplex crossbar switch where every input can connect to every output.
• A non blocking switch: which means that no one of the made connections will lock out an other connection, except if the demanded output is already in use.
• Most switches accept plug-in adaptors for HIPPI and/or Serial HIPPI connections.
• HIPPI Switches can be used to build networks and have three different addressing modes.
• Source Addressing: The I-Field contains sequential up to 5 output port addresses. A shift right of one port address per switch is automatically executed. The switch inserts its input port Address at the left end.
• Destination Addressing: Inverse the Shift direction from the Source Addressing and reads the port address at the left side, such reversing the route as received from Source addressing.
• Logical Addressing: Each connected device has a number "The Logical Address". Switches are loaded with a look-up table to select the corresponding output port.
• Using Source or Destination Addressing only a limited number of switches can be in a path.
• Using Logical Addressing an unlimited number of switches can be in a path. Some switches allow multiple parallel routes.
• Switch Specifications can be found in the HIPPI-SC specification.
• Switches are available for HIPPI-800, and Serial-HIPPI in sizes ranging from 8X8 up to 32X32.

ESS-800, 8-Port HIPPI switch
	ESS-2000 32 X 32 HIPPI-800 Switch

This is one of the CERN High Speed Interconnect pages - 18 January 1999 - Arie van Praag