Cell Relay Archive

[fahad@cs.pitt.edu (Fahad A Hoymany)]

Jim Holland (hollandj@bellsouth.net) wrote:
: Anyone have any idea where I can find an analysis on the characteristics
: of cell loss? I'm wondering if losing a cell is a "once in a blue moon"
: event
: or if when one cell is lost, the probability of losing other cells is more
: probable.

: Any ideas recommendations?

   It depends.  You could lose a cell because of a bit error in the fiber
which is rare (I think that's what you mean above).  But you can lose cells
more often than that when a switch is congested or when a host is
congested.  And yes, if you lose one cell, most likely you will lose many
others since cells make up packets and when one cell is gone the whole
packet must go too.  You could also lose cells because of software errors
(e.g., misrouting).

Fahad