"The goal of this thesis is to evaluate the performance of three Asynchronous Transfer Mode switching architectures. After examining many different ATM switching architectures in literature, the three architectures chosen for study were the Knockout switch, the Sunshine switch, and the Helical switch. A discrete-time, event driven system simulator, named ProModel, was used to model the switching behavior of these architectures. Each switching architecture was modeled and studied under at least two design configurations. The performance of the three architectures was then investigated under three different traffic types representative of traffic found in B-ISDN: random, constant bit rate, and bursty. Several key performance parameters were measured and compared between the architectures. This thesis also explored the implementation complexities and fault tolerance of the three selected architectures."--Abstract.

Information Highways are widely considered as the next generation of high speed communication systems. These highways will be based on emerging Broadband Integrated Services Digital Networks (B-ISDN), which - at least in principle - are envisioned to support not only all the kinds of networking applications known today but also future applications which are not as yet understood fully or even anticipated. Thus, B-ISDNs release networking processes from the limitations which the communications medium has imposed historically. The operational generality stems from the versatility of Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) which is the transfer mode adopted by ITU-T for broadband public ISDN as well as wide area private ISDN. A transfer mode which provides the transmission, multiplexing and switching core that lies at the foundations of a communication network. ATM is designed to integrate existing and future voice, audio, image and data services. Moreover, ATM aims to minimise the complexity of switching and buffer management, to optimise intermediate node processing and buffering and to bound transmission delays. These design objectives are met at high transmission speeds by keeping the basic unit of ATM transmission - the ATM cell - short and of fixed length.

Unlike many books on Asynchronous Transfer Mode, this text approaches the subject systematically and reflects the state-of-the-art technology being applied throughout the world today. In addition, it provides a fundamental source of reference in the ATM research field. The following topics are discussed in detail: * traffic modelling and characterisation * traffic and congestion control * bandwidth and admission control * ATM switch architecture * models of ATM switches * routing and optimisation * quality of service * network management * high speed LANs and MANs * performance modelling studies

A handy source for practicing engineers and researchers, this book offers collected examples of successful performance evaluation of high speed telecommunications switching fabrics such as ATM networks and high speed interconnection technology for computers. It emphasizes the performance evaluation of such switches as they apply to predicting a proposed system's performance through the use of statistical models -- a cost-saving way for communications engineers to test the design of a system without having to construct it.

Performance evaluation, reliability, and performability are key factors in the development and improvement of computer systems and computer networks. This volume contains the 25 accepted and invited papers presented at the 7th International Conference on Modelling Techniques and Tools for Computer Performance Evaluation. The papers focus on new techniques and the extension of existing techniques for performance and reliability analysis. Tools to support performance and reliability modelling and measurement in all kinds of applications and environments are presented, and the practicability and generality of the approaches are emphasized. The volume summarizes the state of the art and points out future demands and challenges, and will interest both scientists and practitioners.

The advent of Information Highways has recently been heralded as the next generation of communication systems. It is widely agreed that these highways will be based on ATM networks. However, despite the tremendous progress in the development of ATM technology, there are still many problems to resolve, such as bandwidth allocation, congestion control and quality of service. This volume addresses some of these difficulties and hopes to stimulate further action towards solving them.The papers are organized in seven main sections: Performance of ATM Switch Architectures; Quality of Service; Performance Analysis of ATM Multiplexers; Performance Issues in ATM Networks; Congestion Control; ATM Switch Architectures; and Methodologies for ATM Modelling.

Over recent years, a considerable amount of effort has been devoted, both in industry and academia, towards the performance modelling, evaluation and prediction of Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks. This book describes recent advances in ATM networks reflecting the state-of-the-art technology and research achievements worldwide. In addition, it provides a fundamental source of reference in the ATM field. Research topics discussed in detail include: Traffic Modelling and Characterisation; Routing; Switch and Multiplexer Models; Call Admission Control (CAC); Congestion Control; Resource Allocation; Quality of Service (QoS); Tools and Techniques. This volume contains recently extended refereed papers of the 5th International Workshop on Performance Modelling and Evaluation of ATM Networks, which was sponsored by the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) and held in Ilkley, UK in July 1997. Performance Analysis of ATM Networks continues the tradition established by the first three IFIP volumes on the subject, and it is ideal for personnel in computer/communication industries as well as academic and research staff in computer science and electrical engineering.