Tradeoffs between Signaling and Resource Utilization in DiffServ Networks with Hierarchical Aggregation

In this paper, we analyze the tradeoffs between signaling and resource utilization in DiffServ networks partitioned in areas (hierarchical domains) using flow aggregates that can be dynamically adjusted. These tradeoffs are studied using two analytical models. In the first model, based on multidimensional birth-death processes, the offered load is detailed at the flow level, which allows accurate assessment of the signaling overhead. The second model accommodates time-varying offered loads, which allows studying the tradeoffs between the time-scale of the aggregate demand and the time-scale of signaling. Our results show that structuring a network domain in areas achieves high performance gains, which can contribute to reduce significantly the cost of core routers.