Dimensioning Multicast-Enabled Networks for IP-Transported TV Channels

Abstract

The required capacity for an IP TV distribution network decreases if the right TV channels are multicast, while the others rely on unicast. In [1] we proposed mathematical models to determine this required capacity in two network scenarios: the “static” and “dynamic” scenarios. As the exact calculations turned out to be too tedious, we developed approximative models, assuming the variables have a Gaussian distribution and proved that the approximations yield results close to the exact results. In this paper, we build further on this approximation. First, we determine the optimal parameters in the static scenario. Second, we compare the static case resource demand function (with optimal settings) to the dynamic case function and we prove the superiority of the dynamic dimensioning approach. Then, the applicability regions of both scenarios (where gain is achieved) are explored. Finally, we illustrate the methodology by calculating the required capacity in some realistic examples.