The invention provides a system and method of controlling timing of
release of traffic for a communication switch. The traffic originates
from at least one source, is directed to a common ingress point of the
switch and is directed to a common egress point in the switch. The egress
point has a maximum egress transmission rate. The traffic has at least
one datastream. Each datastream has a requested transmission rate. The
method comprises, for each datastream, establishing a maximum cell
release rate such that a sum of each of the maximum cell release rate
does not exceed the maximum egress transmission rate and utilizing the
maximum cell release rate to govern release of local traffic in the
datastream from the ingress point.