Machnet: a simple access protocol for high speed or long haul communications

摘要

In high-speed networks, the ratio of the end-to-end propagation delay to the transmission delay may exceed one. Under these conditions, neither token-passing nor conventional CSMA/CD schemes can work efficiently. Previous work on access protocols for high-speed networks is generally based on round-robin service and can only operate on unidirectional media. This paper introduces new high-speed access protocols which can work on various LAN's topologies (star, tree, unidirectional media) and also on satellite networks. Based on a tree algorithm with deferred collision detection, this protocol includes mechanisms which reduce collisions and increase throughput. The maximum channel utilization can reach 100% whatever the propagation delay and the total connected population may be.