Understanding buffer management for cut-through 1D rings

Abstract

This paper describes the impact that buffer management has on network performance for a cut-through 1D ring. Such network provides only one routing alternative between each pair of nodes. The network is kept simple to illustrate the significance of buffer management for all virtual cut-through networks. Besides, 2D and 3D torus, among other networks, can be seen as a collection of interlinked 1D rings. The simulation results will show that the key to maximum sustained throughput is to reserve half of our buffer capacity for transit packets. This increases link utilization by maximising packets at the sending node and empty buffers at the receiving node.