Book excerpt: Analysis of Computer and Communication Networks provides the basic techniques for modeling and analyzing two of the fundamental components of high performance networks: switching equipment, and software employed at the end nodes and intermediate switches. The book also reviews the design options used to build efficient switching equipment. Topics covered include Markov chains and queuing analysis, traffic modeling, interconnection networks, and switch architectures and buffering strategies. This book covers the mathematical theory and techniques necessary for analyzing telecommunication systems. Queuing and Markov chain analyses are provided for many protocols currently in use. The book then discusses in detail applications of Markov chains and queuing analysis to model more than 15 communications protocols and hardware components.