Analysis of Computer and Communication Networks

High-Performance Networks A high-performance network is characterized by two performance measures ba- width and delay. Traditional network design focused mainly on bandwidth planning; the solution to network problems was to add more bandwidth. Nowadays, we have to consider message delay particularly for delay-sensitive applications such as voice and real-time video. Both bandwidth and delay contribute to the performance of the network. Bandwidth can be easily increased by compressing the data, by using links with higher speed, or by transmitting several bits in parallel using sophisticated modulation techniques. Delay, however, is not so easily improved. It can only be reduced by the use of good scheduling protocols, very fast hardware and switching equipment throughout the network. The increasing use of optical fibers means that the transmission channel is close to ideal with extremely high bandwidth and low delay(speedoflight). Theareasthatneedoptimizationaretheinterfacesanddevices that connect the different links together such as hubs, switches, routers, and bridges.
[/b]