Queueing analysis of an ATM multichannel switch routing two-class multimedia traffic with two service rates

In this article we analyze the performance of a space division output buffered multichannel switch operating in an ATM multimedia environment as follows. Fixed size packets belonging to two classes arrive onto the switch inputs in each time slot. Class-1 packets, representing real time traffic such as live audio and live video communications, are sensitive to delay but insensitive to loss and have their own service time needs. Class-2 packets, representing nonreal time communications such as file transfers, are insensitive to delay but sensitive to loss and have their different service time needs. To respond to the class-1 delay sensitivity, the switch gives class-1 packets higher service priority over class-2. And to respond to the difference in service time needs, the switch operates at two service rates, one for each class. This latter assumption is the major feature of the article, as previous studies have usually assumed that the two classes have the same service needs and thus the same service rate. For the purpose of the analysis, the switch is modelled as a priority, discrete time, batch arrival, multiserver queueing system, with infinite buffer and two geometric service times with two parameters. Performance measures analyzed are system occupancy and packet waiting time.