Stochastic networks (Q2849821)

This book, consisting of eight chapters, studies stochastic models for communication networks. The first chapters provide a useful introduction to stochastic networks, presenting the reader with a description of queueing and loss networks, decentralized optimization, Markov chains, Erlang's formula, simple queues, migration processes and Little's law. The third chapter then considers the properties of loss networks.NEWLINENEWLINEThe next three chapters consider decentralized optimization in networks. A series of examples on electric and road networks assists the reader in understanding the need for decentralized optimization before random access networks such as ALOHA are introduced. The third part of the book considers the fundamentals of internet congestion control methods such as TCP and flow level internet models. The book concludes with four useful appendices containing the proofs of important theorems, a list of references and an index.NEWLINENEWLINEThroughout this very interesting book, the focus is on the mathematics that underpin stochastic networks. Despite the inherent complexities these are well-presented in a concise and easy to understand way. A large number of solved examples further helps the reader to understand the notions, making this book very easy to follow and absorb.