Cycle Synchronization in Cyclone Networks

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Date
2001-05-10Author
Szajda, Doug
Hawkin, Simon
Agrawala, Ashok
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Show full item recordAbstract
Networks with time-cyclic allocation of node resources (e.g. SONET
or a wireless network using TDMA media access scheduling) require
a degree of synchronization in order to guarantee that cycle
lengths and drifts remain within acceptable tolerances. Cyclone is
a class of such networks. By requiring applications to reserve
resources in both time and space, a balance is achieved between
arriving and departing flows, ensuring a lack of congestion and
eliminating the need for flow control. This paper presents a
lightweight cycle synchronization algorithm for Cyclone networks,
and shows through both theoretical analysis and simulation that
even in the presence of timing errors, both cycle length jitter
and cycle phase differences fall well within tolerable levels.
(Cross-referenced as UMIACS-TR-2001-17)