On a multicast resequencer for ATM networks

With a multicast resequencer, multipoint-to-point connection can be realized. However, a multicast resequencer also introduces extra delays. The aim of this paper is to determine if an efficient multicast resequencer design is possible. One simple model and one refined model with flow through are proposed to design the multicast resequencer. Simulation results indicate the designed resequencer is fast enough to meet the speed demand of ATM networks. Mean delay is within several mu s when the output link is fast enough, Cell loss rate can also be near zero when buffer size is a little larger than the mean input PDU size and the input link is fast enough. The performance of the resequencer is sensitive to the speed of the output link. In our simulation, 20 Mbps of output link bandwidth is needed for a total input bandwidth of 4.8 Mbps to have a mean delay of less than 30 mu s for each cell. The paper also shows a resequencer can support the largest number of multicasting groups with the same number of virtual paths if each group member is randomly distributed in a backbone network's two sides. The resequencer may provide a solution for establishing multipoint-to-point connections in ATM networks. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.