Modelling multimedia traffic over ATM using MMBP

The Markov-modulated Bernoulli process (MMBP) is widely used in modelling traffic sources. The authors propose a so-called high-low (H/L) model, a two-state Markov chain, to characterise multimedia traffic on ATM-based broadband networks. The H/L model has two nonzero-valued states corresponding to the high-activity and the low-activity level of multimedia traffic. The queue-length distribution of an ATM switch fed with N identical MMBP sources was derived using a probability generating function coupled with a matrix geometric approach. By decomposing matrices into their spectral representation forms the queue length can be evaluated by considering the roots of its characteristic function. Numerical results for the case of two MMBPs are also presented