Loss characterization in high-speed networks through simulation of fluid models

This paper describes the design principles of a fluid-based, discrete-event simulator and its application to the characterization of losses in ATM net works. This simulation technique allows us to obtain performance measures t hat either cannot be found using known analytical methods or for which a co nventional simulation is too expensive; notably, fluid-model simulation mak es it feasible to characterize for a given buffer its occupation, duration of congestion periods, frequency of loss bursts and loss-burst volume in fa irly complex networks. Several numerical examples illustrate the proposed s imulation method.