Queue Analysis and Multiplexing of Heavy-tailed Traffic in Wireless Packet Data Networks

Recent research based on traffic measurements shows that Internet traffic flows have a fractal nature (i.e., self-similarity property), which causes an underestimation of network engineering parameters when using the conventional Poisson model. Preliminary field measurements demonstrate that packet data traffic in wireless communications also exhibits self-similarity. In this paper, we investigate the queuing behavior of self-similar traffic flows for data applications in a packet-switching single-server wireless network. The traffic is generated by an on–off source with heavy-tailed on periods and exponentially distributed off periods. We extend previous analysis of a relation among the asymptotic distribution of loss probability, traffic specifications, and transmission rate for a wireline system to a wireless system, taking into account wireless propagation channel characteristics. We also investigate the multiplexing of heavy-tailed traffic flows with a finite buffer for the downlink transmission of a wireless network. Computer simulation results demonstrate that assumptions made in the theoretical analysis are reasonable and the derived relationships are accurate.