Crossbar Switch

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What Does Crossbar Switch Mean?

A crossbar switch, as part of a crossbar topology, channels
data or signals between two different points in a network. The crossbar setup
is a matrix where each crossbar switch runs between two points, in a design
that is intended to hook up each part of an architecture to every other part.
Crossbar design can be used in networking and in the construction of chips or
electronic setups.

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Techopedia Explains Crossbar Switch

In chip design, crossbar switches replaced a traditional bus system where linear connections were established. By switching a linear connection to a matrix connection, crossbar setups revolutionized the capacity of these systems and decreased latency and bottlenecks. Now, a system called “network on chip” has replaced both bus and crossbar designs.

In crossbar network switching, crossbar connections may be enabled or disabled at will, or opened for some given duration. As in other kinds of crossbar setups, crossbar network topology allows for more flexible data transfer protocols and can enhance network performance over a bus system.

Crossbar design has also been useful in the engineering of solid-state chips and memory systems for devices.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology expert

Margaret is an award-winning writer and educator known for her ability to explain complex technical topics to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles in the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret’s idea of ​​a fun day is to help IT and business professionals to learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.