A multiple-partition token ring network

A token-ring local area network capable of operating in multiple parallel segments which are interconnected via a central switch (called a bridge) is the focus of this study. It is shown that while it is beneficial to operate the network as a single token ring at light loads, the single-ring mode also has a limited channel capacity, and that it is preferable to operate the ring in multiple partitions for heavier loads. In particular, it is found that if the switch processing delay is insignificant compared to the mean packet transmission time, it is preferable to operate the network either as a single large ring or as a star network. An approximate analytical model is used. The results are verified via simulation