Los Alamos Multiple Crossbar Network Crossbar Interfaces

Abstract

Los Alamos National Laboratory is investigating a network to replace the current Integrated Computing Network (ICN). This new network is composed of crossbar switching nodes called CP*s and host computers connected together with HIPPI links. The links and switches are controlled by Crossbar Interfaces, which do the network routing and security. The project was driven by a need to provide graphics data at movie rates across a network from a supercomputer to a scientific workstation, and also vastly increases the rate at which supercomputers communicate with each other. The components of the network are described.