Achieving multi-class service differentiation in WDM optical burst switching networks: a probabilistic preemptive burst segmentation scheme

We propose a Probabilistic Preemptive Burst Segmentation (PPBS) scheduling scheme to provide priority classes with different Quality-of-service (QoS) requirements in WDM Optical Burst Switching (OBS) networks. The PPBS scheme enables high priority bursts to preempt and segment low priority bursts in a probabilistic fashion. The PPBS scheme achieves 100% isolation among priority classes, and burst loss probabilities can be controlled by tunable parameters. Our PPBS queueing model also implicitly enables us to obtain several results related to the Erlang's loss function which may be useful in the role of this function arising in some areas of queueing theory, as well as characterizing a loss rate region that work conserving burst scheduling techniques can achieve. As an application to providing service differentiation, we show how the PPBS scheme can minimize the total sum of loss rates and achieve proportional loss differentiation. Finally, we also demonstrate the effectiveness of the PPBS scheme empirically using realistic Internet traffic model, e.g., long range dependent traffic model.