Generalized Load Sharing for Packet-Switching Networks

In this paper; we propose a framework to study how to effectively perform load sharing in multipath coinnumication networks. A generalized load sharing (GLS) model has been developed to conceptualize how trafic is split ideally on a set of active paths. A simple trafic splitting algorithm, called weighted fair routing ( WFR), has been developed at two different granularity levels, namely, the packet level, and the call level, to approximate GLS with the given routing weight vector: The packet-bypacket WFR (PWFR) mimics GLS bs transmitting each packet as U whole, whereas the call-by-call WFR (CWFR) imitates GLS so that all packets belonging to a single jlow are sent on the same path. We have developed some performance bounds for PWFR and found that PWFR is a deterministically fair trafic splitting ulgorithm. This attractive proper0 is usefirl in the provision of service with guaranteed performance when multiple paths can be used simultaneously to transmit packets which belong to the same Jlow. Our simulation studies, based on a collection of Internet backbone traces, reveal that WFR outperforms two other trafjic splitting algorithms, namely, generalized round robin routing (GRR), and probabilistic routing (PRR). These promising results form a basis for designing ficture adaptive constraint-based multipath routing protocols.