Patent ID: 8249094

Claim:
A method of simulating communications among a plurality of nodes via a communication channel, comprising: defining a model of the communication channel that is common to the plurality of nodes and is configured to receive a measure of contention and to provide therefrom a throughput measure, simulating, on a simulation system, receipt of messages at a source node, for transmission to a destination node, determining, on the simulation system, the measure of contention for the communication channel, determining, on the simulation system, a service delay based on the model of the communication channel and the measure of contention, simulating, on the simulation system, communication of at least one message from the transmitter to the receiver via the communication channel at a time of completion of transmission that depends upon the service delay, wherein the communication channel is characterized as having a total available bandwidth that decreases with increased contention, and the model is configured to provide the throughput measure based on the total available bandwidth, which is determined based on the measure of contention.