Sharp Approximate Models of Deflection Routing in Mesh Networks

Deflection routing is a simple, decentralized, and adaptive method for routing data packets in communication networks. In this paper we focus on deflection routing in the Manhattan street network (a two-dimensional directed mesh), though our analytic approach should apply to any regular network. We present two approximate performance models that give sharp estimates of the steady state throughput and the average packet delay for packets admitted to the network. The results of extensive simulation experiments are reported, which corroborate the models' predictions. The results show that deflection routing is very effective. Two measures of the merit of a network for deflection routing are its diameter and its deflection index. Networks are presented whose diameter and deflection index are near the optimal values.