Queueing Analysis of Some Buffered Random Multiple Access Schemes

A queueing model appropriate for the analysis of multipleaccess schemes with finite user buffer capacity is proposed. This model can be applied to several slotted random multiple-access schemes, such as the URN, ALOHA, random TDMA channels, etc. The examined system, in general, can be modeled as a multidimensional Markov chain. The enormous state space for its complete description makes numerical analysis intractable. Nevertheless, symmetry properties of the system can be exploited so that the state space will be reduced. In particular, the queue length at one station and the number of busy stations are used to characterize the behavior of the system. In this way, a two-dimensional Markov chain can be constructed and an approximate solution is obtained which is in excellent agreement with simulation results.