Buffer space management using thresholds

Shared memory ATM switches are known to provide optimal throughput-delay performance under unicast traffic. A performance evaluation by computer simulation of a generic shared memory ATM switch is done to study the effect of using thresholds for buffer space management under bursty multicast traffic. The threshold scheme assigns a different priority to unicast and multicast cells depending on whether the memory occupancy is above or below the threshold. The simulations show that the use of proposed threshold scheme results in a better throughput and cell loss rate performance under any traffic load. Cell delay is also lower for output loads under 100%