False Assumption for Resource Dimensioning in Networking*

Speaker: Victor O.K. Li, University of Hong KongAbstract: Due to a false assumption that the number of customers in a stable queue can be unbounded, some well-known results in networking are incorrect. Even Erlang's B formula implies one version of the false assumption, i.e., at a switch with any finite number of links, it is always possible for an arriving call to find all of the links simultaneously busy. So Erlang's B formula is also incorrect. This paper presents a detailed elucidation based on a simple thought experiment. To design more efficient, cost-effective networks with better services, the false assumption should be abandoned. *Joint work with Dr. G.L. LiBio: Victor O.K. Li (http://www.eee.hku.hk/staff_personal/vli.htm ) was born in Hong Kong in 1954. He received SB, SM, EE and ScD degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1977, 1979, 1980, and 1981, respectively. Since September 1997 he has been with the University of Hong Kong, where he is Chair Professor of Information Engineering. He also served as Managing Director of Versitech Ltd. (http://www.versitech.com.hk/ ), the technology transfer and commercial arm of the University, from September 1997 to June 2004. Prof. Li serves on various corporate boards. His research is in information technology, including all-optical networks, wireless networks, and Internet technologies and applications. Sought by government, industry, and academic organizations, he has lectured and consulted extensively around the world. Prof. Li is very active in the research community, and has chaired various international conferences and served on the editorial boards of various international journals. He has given distinguished lectures at universities around the world, and keynote speeches at many international conferences. Prof. Li has received numerous awards, including, most recently, the UK Royal Academy of Engineering Senior Visiting Fellowship in Communications, the KC Wong Education Foundation Lectureship, the Croucher Foundation Senior Research Fellowship, and the Bronze Bauhinia Star, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. He was elected an IEEE Fellow in 1992.Host: Dr. C.-C. Jay Kuo, x04658, cckuo@sipi.usc.edu

Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - -248

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Mayumi Thrasher