Switching matrix with contention arbitration

A switching matrix routes each received input to a unique output port. Each input specifies an output port as a destination. For each output port, a set of inputs contending for the output port is determined. A control for correctly routing selects an input from each set of contending inputs and routes it to the correct output port of the switching matrix. If no input specifies an output port as a destination, that output port is designated as an available output port. A control for misrouting determines the set of available output ports and the set of inputs that have not been correctly routed by the control for correctly routing. The control for misrouting then misroutes each remaining input to one of the available output ports of the switching matrix. The switching matrix may provide status signals for use by the switch in tracking the location of the correctly routed and misrouted inputs.