Switching Networks: Recent Advances

The switching net.work is an important. classic research area in t.ele- communication and comput.er net.works.

It.s import.ancc st.ems from both theory and practice.

In fact, some open problems, such as Benes conjec- ture on shuffle-exchange networks and Chung-Rmis conjecture on multi- rate rearrangeability, still attract many researchers and the further de- velopment in optical networks requires advanced technology in optical switching networks.

In 1997, we had a workshop in switching networks held in NSF Sci- ence and Technology Center in Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science (DIMACS), at Princeton University.

This workshop was very successful. Many participants wished to have a similar activity every two or three years.

This book is a result of such a wish. We are putting together SOllle important developments in this area during last. several years, including articles ill fault-tolerance, rearrang{~ability. non- blocking, optical networks. random permutation generat.ioll. and layout complexity. SOlllC of thos(~ art ides are research papers alld SOIllC an' sur- veys.

All articles were reviewed. We would like to uWlItioll two special problems studied in those articles.