Modeling issues on an ATM multiplexer within a bursty traffic environment

In this paper we study the loss performance of an ATM multiplexer, whose input consists of the superposition of a multiplicity of homogeneous ON-OFF sources. Our approach is based on the approximation of the actual input process by means of a suitably chosen two-state Markov Modulated Poisson Process (MMPP), as a simple and effective choice for the representation of superposition arrival streams. To accurately evaluate the cell loss performance, we have developed a new matching procedure, which allows the derivation of a tight upper bound of the cell loss probability and the characterization of its asymptotic behaviour as the buffer size increases. Moreover, the outstanding physical meaning of our procedure let us gain a deep insight into the multiplexer performance behaviour, as the buffer size and the source parameters are varied and clarifies the modeling limits implied by the choice of an approximating MMPP with only two states.