Evaluation of a fat-tree network with buffered a×b switches

In this paper, a performance analysis model of the fat-tree network with the multiple-buffered a×b crossbar switches is proposed and examined. Two important parameters of the network performance, throughput and delay, are then evaluated. The proposed model takes simple and primitive switch networks, i.e., no flow control and drop packet, to demonstrate analysis procedures clearly. It, however, cannot only be applied to other complicated modern switch networks that have intelligent flow control but also estimate the performance of any size networks with multiple-buffered switches. To validate the proposed analysis model, the simulation is carried out on the various sizes of fat-tree networks that use the multiple buffered a×b crossbar switches. It is observed that both analysis and simulation results are match closely.