Local area network characteristics, with implications for broadband network congestion management

  • Authors:
  • H. J. Fowler;W. E. Leland

  • Affiliations:
  • Bellcore, Red Bank, NJ;-

  • Venue:
  • IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications
  • Year:
  • 2006

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Abstract

The authors examine the phenomenon of congestion to better understand the congestion management techniques that will be needed in high-speed, cell-based networks. The first step of this study is to use high time-resolution local area network (LAN) traffic data to explore the nature of LAN traffic variability. Then the data are used for a trace-driven simulation of a connectionless service that provides LAN interconnection. The simulation allows one to characterize what congestion might look like in a high-speed, cell-based network. When realistic data are applied to simple models of LAN interconnection, it is observed that during periods, congestion persists and losses can be significant; congestion losses cannot be avoided by modest increases in buffer capacity; consequences of misengineering can be serious; and, fortunately, most congested periods are preceded by signs of impending danger