Analysis of the adaptive rate control for ABR service in ATM networks

Abstract

High speed networks based on the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) will use the available bit rate (ABR) service to support best effort type service. The ABR service will use an end-to-end adaptive feedback based rate control, where the sources adapt their rates (at the cell level) based on the state of the network. The performance of this control mechanism depends on a number of control parameters, as well as the delay of the feedback loop. We analyze the feedback based rate control mechanism (as defined by the ATM Forum) and obtain closed-form (approximate) solutions. These design equations will aid in determining appropriate values for the various control parameters.