1. A method for comparing traffic pattern models of a complex communication system, comprising computing, via a processor, a normalized transmission parameter for each traffic pattern model; computing, via the processor, model parameters for each traffic pattern model, wherein the model parameters for each traffic pattern model represent anticipated traffic flow through the complex communication system over a predetermined time period; receiving data representing an actual traffic flow pattern through the complex communication system over the predetermined time period; comparing, via the processor, the model parameters representing anticipated traffic patterns for each model to the data representing the actual traffic flow pattern for the communication system; and comparing the normalized transmission parameters for each of the traffic pattern models.