Importance

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Abstract

A switching device comprising a plurality of ingress ports and a plurality of egress ports. The switching device is arranged to receive data packets through the ingress ports and to forward received data packets to respective ones of the egress ports. The switching device further comprises an ingress module for each of the ingress ports, each ingress module being arranged to receive data packets from a respective single one of the ingress ports and to store the received data packets in one of a plurality of data structures provided by the ingress module, each ingress module being further configured to select a data packet from one of the plurality of data structures, and to request permission to transmit the selected data packet to an egress port. The switching device also comprises at least one egress module arranged to receive a plurality of requests for permission to transmit data packets through a particular egress port, the request being generated by the plurality of ingress modules, and to select one of the plurality of requests.

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First Claim