Simulation-based performance evaluation of resource allocation algorithms for implementation in the SHF-DAMA satellite network

Sponsored by DISA, the SHF-DAMA standard addresses the warfighter´s requirements for flexible, reliable, and efficient (technically and fiscally) satellite communications. The standard proposes a system supporting both packet data transfer and single-channel-per-carrier voice and data circuits assigned on a demand basis. The standard does not address management of the DSCS III transponder´s bandwidth and power resources among priority classes of users. This paper summarizes an effort to characterize the SHF-DAMA system´s performance over each combination of the following resource management algorithm features: preemption enabled and disabled; using the standard-specified collision resolution technique and a binary exponential backoff; and using complete partitioning, complete sharing, and sharing with minimum allocation strategies. The authors introduce a novel algorithm for avoiding unnecessary preemption. A simulation written in MODSIM II collects the following measures of performance over a broad load range: call establishment delay, number of calls simultaneously supported, power used, and number of calls preempted. The primary conclusion drawn using graphical and hypothesis testing methods is that the SHF-DAMA system should implement the complete sharing management algorithm. This algorithm reduces the call setup time and most efficiently manages the satellite´s resources. As a secondary conclusion, the binary exponential backoff retransmission strategy does not provide significantly better performance than the standard-specified backoff