Control engineer's look at ATM congestion avoidance

Algorithms for controlling congestion are critical for the success of ATM networks. The various sample algorithms appearing in the literature have in common significant non-linearities that make these algorithms difficult to analyse using the tools of classical control theory. This paper reports on the beginnings of a research program that considers the ATM congestion control problem from the point of view of a control theorist. A control scheme is developed that can be designed and analysed using well established linear control theory. There is promise that as this approach is further developed it offers hope that analysis can assure reasonable behavior in the large scale system setting of ATM networks.