Asynchronous transfer mode networks with parallel links and multiple service classes

In this paper the flow assignment problem in the case of a fiber optic based Asynchronous Transfer Mode network is studied. The backbone network has parallel links between node pairs and supports multiple classes of traffic. The aim is to find the best routes for the different priority classes such that the total cost of network design is minimized and the delay bounds on the parallel links for different message classes are satisfied. A mixed integer programming formulation is presented for the problem and the solution procedure is described. Heuristics are suggested for obtaining feasible solutions to this problem. The goal is to come up with an efficient frontier by changing the delay bounds in order to give designers various choices of cost and delay to choose from. Numerical results are reported for three different network topologies and future research directions are highlighted.