Reliability and performance of multi-level loop computer networks

An improved network architecture which incorporates high reliability, high performance, and optimal accommodation to environmental topologies is presented. The network investigated is tree-shaped, where the leaves represent host computers or loop subnetworks and the vertices are ring adapters attaching hosts or bridges interconnecting subnetworks. For ease of modeling only balanced and homogeneous structures are considered where loop subnetworks have the same topology. Multilevel hierarchical loop networks have minimal diameter when the number of nodes in the subnetworks is proportional to the root of the number of all attached stations. In this case, the diameter grows only with the logarithm of the number of stations. This implies that network reliability and performance are significantly improved using the proposed multilevel hierarchical architecture. The performance analysis assumes the protocol of buffer insertion