Modelling of packet-switching networks with nodal blocking

A packet-switching network with both end-to-end and local flow-control mechanisms is considered. End-to-end control is accomplished by window flow control and local control by using buffer management schemes between the input and transit traffic at the nodes. A queueing model of a semiclosed network is developed, which includes blocking models for the flow-control mechanisms and still retains a product form for the equilibrium distribution. Analytical expressions for network-performance measures are given and the effects of different buffer management schemes on these measures is studied using numerical techniques.