A technique for extrapolating the end-to-end performance of HDLC links for a range of lost packet rates

A technique based on importance sampling is presented for extrapolating the end-to-end delay performance of a high-level data link control (HDLC) network. The lost packets can arise from bit errors or discarding due to network congestion. The technique works well for a substantial range of loads, as long as the desired performance is at an error rate less than the observed rate (the environment most frequently encountered). It is applicable across a range of error rates. The technique was tested on a simple HDLC link but would generalize to other link-level protocols. The extrapolation technique can be based on simulation or measurement. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate its effectiveness