A system for switching data packets through a multiple (m) input, multiple (n) output switching device providing switching having a fast one-cycle throughput. A respective switching device behaves like an output queued switch from a set of distributed output queues reading the incoming input control information from the plurality of input ports (IP) and compresses the information in a form which allows an easy association with a respective output port (OP) to which an individual input port is temporarily mapped.