GSPN models of bridged LAN configurations

Communication systems comprising several local area networks (LANs) interconnected by bridges are modeled with Generalized Stochastic Petri Nets (GSPNs). GSPN models are developed at different levels of detail, progressively abstracting from the detailed behavior of real systems, and exploiting symmetries present in simple interconnected LAN topologies by "folding" the detailed GSPN models. The numerical results obtained from the solution of GSPN models are validated against results of very detailed simulation experiments, and found in good agreement, even for the most abstract GSPN models. Advantages and drawbacks of the GSPN modeling approach are discussed at the end of the paper.