The metcalfe-boggs model: a formal analysis of statistical arbitration and efficiency

[gladishdean (Dean Gladish)]

A formal, executable model of the original 1976 Metcalfe-Boggs protocol for distributed packet switching. This notebook serves as ‘Code as Proof,’ deconstructing the dynamics of statistical arbitration on a shared, passive Ether. It mathematically models the interaction between the Transmission Interval, where a single station has acquired the Ether, and the Contention Interval, where multiple queued stations (Q) vie for access. By visualizing the best metrics of Acquisition Probability (A), Wait Time (W), and overall Efficiency (E), the model demonstrates the fundamental trade-offs and performance degradation inherent in a system reliant on simple packet collision and retransmission–setting the stage for the superior, deterministic model of Open Atomic Ethernet.

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