A hierarchical analysis of access multiplexers with multimedia traffic

Decomposition approximations have recently been used in the performance evaluation of access networks such as GSM/GPRS and ATM based networks. In this paper we extend the analysis to a network possessing a hierarchy of traffic types, such as voice, data and broadband video. We look at different policies for the transmission of the traffic, and apply a hierarchical decomposition technique to the performance analysis of the network where necessary. We find that the decomposition technique is quite useful in predicting the performance of networks where video, voice and data have channel holding times which are each of different orders of magnitude in comparison to each other.