Performance analysis of FDDI token ring networks: effect of parameters and guidelines for setting TTRT

Abstract

The timed token access method on which the FDDI (fiber distributed data interface) network is based is described. The two kinds of performance parameters, fixed and user-settable, that are used to study performance are discussed. Performance metrics are defined, and the performance is analyzed for asynchronous traffic, using simulation and analytical modeling. Guidelines for setting the target token rotation time (TTRT), which is the key network parameter that can be used to optimize the performance of an FDDI ring network, are presented. The effects on performance of the total number of stations, number of active stations, frame size, and total fiber length are examined.<>