A light-traffic analysis of queueing systems with train arrivals

Input traffic at various nodes in packet switched telecommunication networks typically exhibits correlation at various time scales. If queueing theory is to be used for assessing the performance of these buffers, arrival correlation must be modeled accurately. Train-arrival models have been succesfully applied to this end. Arrivals are organised in larger entities called trains, correlation being introduced by the duration of these trains, the arrival process of the trains and the arrivals within the trains. Although, the literature on train-arrival models is considerable, a key constraint remains: the load of a single train must equal or exceed the server capacity. Lifting this constraint is the aim of this contribution.