Method and apparatus for high performance single block scheduling in distributed systems

A method for transmitting data between line cards in a distributed network switching system, through a switch fabric which is separated from said line cards, said method comprising receiving at said switch fabric information regarding queues of data packets that have arrived at said line cards and are waiting to be transmitted therefrom, recording said information at one or more databases located in said switch fabric, computing in said switch fabric a suitable array of connections between said line cards according to the information recorded at said one or more databases, providing instructions to said line cards regarding the data that is allowed to be transmitted therefrom, establishing a physical array of connections in said switch fabric to allow said transmission, and updating said one or more databases at said switch fabric accordingly, wherein said updating of the one or more databases occurs before said transmission of data from the input line cards takes place, such that the updated information stored at said one or more databases reflects the status of queues which are expected to form at said input line cards following the transmission of data therefrom.