Object-oriented modeling and simulation for broadband network design

Abstract

Fast-evolving telecommunication technologies and increasing customer demands for new multimedia services have been creating substantial pressure to reduce the cycle of Broadband Network Design(BND). Modeling and simulation techniques and tools have been considered effective means for helping to alleviate such pressure. However, simulation modeling for BND problems is a complex issue that must take into account interrelated factors such as network configuration, network operation, and broadband bursty traffic. Further, it is often required that the model have good features such as reusability and extensibility. Clearly, a good conceptual modeling framework and well-defined models facilitate the modeling process for broadband network components and their behaviors. In this thesis, a conceptual modeling framework called OMF-BND (Object-oriented Modeling Framework for Broadband Network Design) and an object-oriented(OO) model based on the framework for simulations of BND problems are presented. OO approach is applied here because it encourages the development of reusable and extensible model components that encapsulate concepts of the problem domain. Graphical notations and formal definitions are provided for the framework. The OO model consists of an object model and a behavior model. Network components and traffic components are specified as objects. In particular, broadband bursty traffic is modeled at the call level and the burst level, to avoid a huge computational burden of the cell level processing and a lack of accuracy of the call level processing. Behavior modeling is used to describe the dynamic aspects of the system. The behavior model is represented graphically with a timed state diagram which is an extended state transition diagram to represent next-event scheduling functions in simulation. The presented OO model is implemented to ascertain its validity and usefulness in a typical BND problem. The performances of logical topologies embedded in a physi...