Design rules for buffering overlapping Pareto processes in packetised networks

A formula is presented that acts as a design rule when multiplexing many ho mogeneous long range dependent (LRD) ON-OFF processes through a buffer. The formula enables the buffer overflow probability, or the required buffer le ngth, to be predicted. Sources have Pareto distributed ON periods and expon entially distributed OFT: periods. From the results (formulas and numerical ), valuable tools and insight can be developed which will be applicable to the design of future packetised communication networks, switches and router s.