The pseudo-self-similar traffic model: application and validation

Since the early 1990¿s, a variety of studies has shown that network traffic, both for local- and wide-area networks, has self-similar properties. This led to new approaches in network traffic modelling because most traditional traffic approaches result in the underestimation of performance measures of interest. Instead of developing completely new traffic models, a number of researchers have proposed to adapt traditional traffic modelling approaches to incorporate aspects of self-similarity. The motivation for doing so is the hope to be able to reuse techniques and tools that have been developed in the past and with which experience has been gained. One such approach for a traffic model that incorporates aspects of self-similarity is the so-called pseudo self-similar traffic model. This model is appealing, as it is easy to understand and easily embedded in Markovian performance evaluation studies. In applying this model in a number of cases, we have perceived various problems which we initially thought were particular to these specific cases. However, we recently have been able to show that these problems are fundamental to the pseudo self-similar traffic model. In this paper we review the pseudo self-similar traffic model and discuss its fundamental shortcomings. As far as we know, this is the first paper that discusses these shortcomings formally. We also report on ongoing work to overcome some of these problems

An acceleration simulation method for power law priority traffic

A method for accelerated simulation for simulated self-similar processes is proposed. This technique simplifies the simulation model and improves the efficiency by using excess packets instead of packet-by-packet source traffic for a FIFO and non-FIFO buffer scheduler. In this research is focusing on developing an equivalent model of the conventional packet buffer that can produce an output analysis (which in this case will be the steady state probability) much faster. This acceleration simulation method is a further development of the Traffic Aggregation technique, which had previously been applied to FIFO buffers only and applies the Generalized Ballot Theorem to calculate the waiting time for the low priority traffic (combined with prior work on traffic aggregation). This hybrid method is shown to provide a significant reduction in the process time, while maintaining queuing behavior in the buffer that is highly accurate when compared to results from a conventional simulatio

Using Markov chains for modelling networks

The paper contains the review and the discussion on modelling communication networks with the use of queuing models and Markov chains. It shows how to take into account various characteristics of real systems - like some control mechanisms and the traffic self-similarity. There are presented two mechanisms modelled with Markov chains: the RED algorithm in TCP/IP and a self-similar traffic shaping

Variable bit rate video time-series and scene modeling using discrete-time statistically self-similar systems

This thesis investigates the application of discrete-time statistically self-similar (DTSS) systems to modeling of variable bit rate (VBR) video traffic data. The work is motivated by the fact that while VBR video has been characterized as self-similar by various researchers, models based on self-similarity considerations have not been previously studied. Given the relationship between self-similarity and long-range dependence the potential for using DTSS model in applications involving modeling of VBR MPEG video traffic data is presented. This thesis initially explores the characteristic properties of the model and then establishes relationships between the discrete-time self-similar model and fractional order transfer function systems. Using white noise as the input, the modeling approach is presented using least-square fitting technique of the output autocorrelations to the correlations of various VBR video trace sequences. This measure is used to compare the model performance with the performance of other existing models such as Markovian, long-range dependent and M/G/(infinity) . The study shows that using heavy-tailed inputs the output of these models can be used to match both the scene time-series correlations as well as scene density functions. Furthermore, the discrete-time self-similar model is applied to scene classification in VBR MPEG video to provide a demonstration of potential application of discrete-time self-similar models in modeling self-similar and long-range dependent data. Simulation results have shown that the proposed modeling technique is indeed a better approach than several earlier approaches and finds application is areas such as automatic scene classification, estimation of motion intensity and metadata generation for MPEG-7 applications

Delays in IP routers, a Markov model

Delays in routers are an important component of end-to-end delay and therefore have a significant impact on quality of service. While the other component, the propagation time, is easy to predict as the distance divided by the speed of light inside the link, the queueing delays of packets inside routers depend on the current, usually dynamically changing congestion and on the stochastic features of the flows. We use a Markov model taking into account the distribution of the size of packets and self-similarity of incoming flows to investigate their impact on the queueing delays and their dynamics

Delay Bound: Fractal Traffic Passes through Network Servers

Delay analysis plays a role in real-time systems in computer communication networks. This paper gives our results in the aspect of delay analysis of fractal traffic passing through servers. There are three contributions presented in this paper. First, we will explain the reasons why conventional theory of queuing systems ceases in the general sense when arrival traffic is fractal. Then, we will propose a concise method of delay computation for hard real-time systems as shown in this paper. Finally, the delay computation of fractal traffic passing through severs is presented

Non-Intrusive Measurement in Packet Networks and its Applications

PhDNetwork measurementis becoming increasingly important as a meanst o assesst he performanceo f packet networks. Network performance can involve different aspects such as availability, link failure detection etc, but in this thesis, we will focus on Quality of Service (QoS). Among the metrics used to define QoS, we are particularly interested in end-to-end delay performance. Recently, the adoption of Service Level Agreements (SLA) between network operators and their customersh as becomea major driving force behind QoS measurementm: easurementi s necessaryt o produce evidence of fulfilment of the requirements specified in the SLA. Many attempts to do QoS based packet level measurement have been based on Active Measurement, in which the properties of the end-to-end path are tested by adding testing packets generated from the sending end. The main drawback of active probing is its intrusive nature which causes extraburden on the network, and has been shown to distort the measured condition of the network. The other category of network measurement is known as Passive Measurement. In contrast to Active Measurement, there are no testing packets injected into the network, therefore no intrusion is caused. The proposed applications using Passive Measurement are currently quite limited. But Passive Measurement may offer the potential for an entirely different perspective compared with Active Measurements In this thesis, the objective is to develop a measurement methodology for the end-to-end delay performance based on Passive Measurement. We assume that the nodes in a network domain are accessible.F or example, a network domain operatedb y a single network operator. The novel idea is to estimate the local per-hop delay distribution based on a hybrid approach (model and measurement-based)W. ith this approach,t he storagem easurementd ata requirement can be greatly alleviated and the overhead put in each local node can be minimized, so maintaining the fast switching operation in a local switcher or router. Per-hop delay distributions have been widely used to infer QoS at a single local node. However, the end-to-end delay distribution is more appropriate when quantifying delays across an end-to-end path. Our approach is to capture every local node's delay distribution, and then the end-to-end delay distribution can be obtained by convolving the estimated delay distributions. In this thesis, our algorithm is examined by comparing the proximity of the actual end-to-end delay distribution with the estimated one obtained by our measurement method under various conditions. e. g. in the presence of Markovian or Power-law traffic. Furthermore, the comparison between Active Measurement and our scheme is also studied. 2 Network operators may find our scheme useful when measuring the end-to-end delay performance. As stated earlier, our scheme has no intrusive effect. Furthermore, the measurement result in the local node can be re-usable to deduce other paths' end-to-end delay behaviour as long as this local node is included in the path. Thus our scheme is more scalable compared with active probing