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Interconnecting Computers: Architecture,
Technology, and Economics
March 1, 1994
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Authors
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Butler Lampson
Publication Type
Inproceedings
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
All copyrights reserved by Springer 1994.
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Abstract
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Related Info
Abstract
Modern computer systems have a recursive structure of processing and storage elements that are
interconnected to make larger elements: Functional units connected to registers and on-chip
cache. Multiple processors and caches connected to main memories. Computing nodes connected
by a message-passing local area network. Local area networks bridged to form an extended
LAN. Networks connected in a wide-area internet. All the computers in the world exchanging
electronic mail. Above the lowest level of transistors and gates, the essential character of these
con-nec-tions changes surprisingly little over about nine orders of magnitude in time and space.
Connections are made up of nodes and links; their important properties are band-width, la-tency,
connectivity, availabil-ity, and cost. Switching is the basic mechanism for con-nect-ing lots of
things. There are many ways to implement it, all based on multiplexing and demultiplexing. This
paper describes some of them and gives many examples. It also consid-ers the interactions
among the different levels of complex systems.
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 Computer systems and networking
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