Bandwidth Dimensioning in Stochastic Packet Networ

Dimensioning of link capacities in packet networks is commonly based on average traffic values together with some degree of overprovisioning. While mean traffic load is well understood and measurable, the degree of appropriate overprovisioning is matter of estimation and controversial disputes. We show that traffic fluctuations around the mean value, and in consequence the required overprovisioning, are well controlled by the end user access capacity. A theoretical analysis of the corresponding probability distributions is used to derive a practical dimensioning rule for packet links in general networks (LAN as well as WAN). The theory has been cross checked by transmission experiments with real network equipment.