This paper investigates the performance of relative rate (RR) switch algorithms for available bit rate (ABR) flow control in asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks. An RR switch can be implemented differently according to the congestion detection and notification methods used. This paper proposes three implementation schemes for an RR switch using various congestion detection and notification methods, and then analyzes the allowed cell rate (ACR) of a source and the queue length at a switch in steady state. The upper and lower bounds for the maximum and minimum queue lengths are also determined for each scheme, respectively, thereby investigating the effects of ABR parameter values on a queue length. Furthermore, a selection method for rate increase factor (RIF) and rate decrease factor (RDF) parameter values is suggested to prevent buffer overflow and underflow.

This letter proposes an efficient implementation method for a binary feedback switch, called EFCI/RELAY, which can reduce the feedback delay of the congestion status of a switch in multiple-hop network environments. At each transit switch, this method relays the EFCI-bit contained in an incoming data cell to the head-of-line cell with a corresponding VC which is waiting for transmission in the output buffer. Simulation results show that the proposed method can achieve a lower queue length while maintaining a higher link utilization.