Priority-based arbitration for parallel multicast routing with self-directed data packets

A parallel multicast star topology data network includes a plurality of input buffers, a first arbitration mechanism coupled to the plurality of input buffers, a plurality of output buffers coupled to the first arbitration mechanism and a plurality of interconnect exits coupled to the plurality of output buffers. When packet contents of a multicast message are ready for release from the first arbitration mechanism then all of the packet contents are substantially simultaneously released to the plurality of output buffers and then substantially simultaneously to the plurality of interconnect exits.