Joint virtual path routing and capacity design for ATM networks

Abstract

In addition to simplifying nodal processing and network architecture, a good virtual path layout/capacity design reduces network system costs and improves overall QoS (Quality of Service) manageability and system utilization. A shortest-path based layout scheme and a virtual path capacity allocation scheme are proposed in this paper. For ease of implementation, we adopt a deterministic Virtual Path (VP) capacity assignment scheme. Each VP contains multiple Virtual Channels (VCs). The bandwidth assigned to each VC affects both the VC's QoS and the remaining capacity in the corresponding VP. We have recently proposed a novel bandwidth allocation scheme, in which bandwidth assignments are made based on a bandwidth queue model, to maximize the network utilization and user satisfaction. In this paper, this bandwidth queue model is used to quantify VP costs and a constrained non-linear optimization problem with VP capacities as decision variables is formulated. Since Switched Virtual Connection (SVC) traffic may be routed through different VPs, and hence affect the optimal VP capacity design, SVC routing parameters are also included as decision variables and determined together with the VP capacities.