Replication and Reduction in Multistage Interconnection Networks

Multistage interconnection networks are conventionally composed of 2x2 switching elements which perform only permutation functions. A number of networks have been built which provide more powerful switch functions involving replication and reduction of information, including the NYU Ultracomputer and several copy networks. Here we investigate these machines as a group, to see how replication and reduction are interrelated, and what other issues they involve.