Dynamics of network performance

The existence of complex modes of behavior has been demonstrated in the dynamics of resource allocation in computational ecosystems. The authors present analysis and simulation results indicating that this behavior can also be expected in communications networks and may generate complex phase transitions in the topological dynamics. Some common wide area network (WAN) architectures have structurally unstable topological dynamics and are vulnerable to random phase transitions induced by statistical noise in the input scenario. Since these two types of phase transitions can induce congestion events with rapid onset and slow recovery, this can lead to extended periods of degraded communications