The bus and crossbar systems use a single stage of switching to provide a path from a source to a destination.

In multistage network, multiple stages of switches are used to setup a path between source and destination.

Such networks are less costly than the crossbar structure, yet they provide a reasonably large number of parallel paths between source and destinations.

In the Figure 10.6, it shows a three-stage network that called a shuffle network that interconnects eight modules.

The term "shuffle" describes the pattern of connections from the outputs of one stage to the inputs of the next stage.

The switchbox in the Figure 10.6 is a switch that can route either input to either output.

If the inputs request distinct outputs, they can both be routed simultaneously in the straight through or crossed pattern.

If both inputs request the same output, only one request can be satisfied. The other one is blocked until the first request finishes using the switch.