The research is developing system theories for control of multi-media traffic in high speed networks. As compared to today's networks, a high speed network will be operated in a much more heterogeneous environment. Many assumptions and constraints used by network system analysts have also changed, largely by recent rapid advances in lightwave and photonic technologies. The control of multi-media traffic in high speed networks has therefore become a most challenging task in the telecommunication network field. This research is being conducted at three different levels: ATM link, switching node and network. The performance measurement, as well as the control objectives, at each level are substantially different. The emphasis at the ATM link level is placed on developing effective analytic tools for study of service scheduling, congestion control and buffer management of multi-media traffic. The research at the switching node level is focussed on performance analysis and congestion control design of multi-media traffic within a space-division fast packet switching node. The initial effort at the network level is to develop simple heuristic routing algorithms appropriate for multi-media traffic, with emphasis on real time and high speed services. This project is being carried out on the basis of new analytical methods and system concepts the principal investigator has developed, and is establishing guiding principles for control of multi-media traffic in high speed networks.
