Faster Approximation Schemes for Fractional Multicommodity Flow Problems

We present fully polynomial approximation schemes for concurrent multicommodity flow problems that run in time of minimal dependency on the number of commodities k. We show that by modifying the algorithms by Garg & Konemann and Fleischer we can reduce their running time to a logarithmic dependence on k, and essentially match the running time … Read more

A hybrid genetic algorithm for the weight setting problem in OSPF/IS-IS routing

Intra-domain traffic engineering aims to make more efficient use of network resources within an autonomous system. Interior Gateway Protocols such as OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) and IS-IS (Intermediate System-Intermediate System) are commonly used to select the paths along which traffic is routed within an autonomous system. These routing protocols direct traffic based on link … Read more

Streaming Cache Placement Problems: Complexity and Algorithms

Virtual private networks (VPN) are often used to distribute live content, such as video or audio streams, from a single source to a large number of destinations. Streaming caches or splitters are deployed in these multicast networks to allow content distribution without overloading the network. In this paper, we consider two combinatorial optimization problems that … Read more

Uniform Boundedness of a Preconditioned Normal Matrix Used in Interior Point Methods

Solving systems of linear equations with “normal” matrices of the form $A D^2 A^T$ is a key ingredient in the computation of search directions for interior-point algorithms. In this article, we establish that a well-known basis preconditioner for such systems of linear equations produces scaled matrices with uniformly bounded condition numbers as $D$ varies over … Read more

Design and analysis of an approximation algorithm for Stackelberg network pricing

We consider the problem of maximizing the revenue raised from tolls set on the arcs of a transportation network, under the constraint that users are assigned to toll-compatible shortest paths. We first prove that this problem is strongly NP-hard. We then provide a polynomial time algorithm with a worst-case precision guarantee of $\frac{1}{2}\log m_T+1$, where … Read more

An annotated bibliography of network interior point methods

This paper presents an annotated bibliography on interior point methods for solving network flow problems. We consider single and multi-commodity network flow problems, as well as preconditioners used in implementations of conjugate gradient methods for solving the normal systems of equations that arise in interior network flow algorithms. Applications in electrical engineering and miscellaneous papers … Read more

Transparent optical network design with sparse wavelength conversion

We consider the design of transparent optical networks from a practical perspective. Network operators aim at satisfying the communication demands at minimum cost. Such an optimization involves three interdependent planning issues: the dimensioning of the physical topology, the routing of lightpaths, and the wavelength assignment. Further topics include the reliability of the configuration and sparse … Read more

STRONG LOWER BOUNDS FOR THE PRIZE COLLECTING STEINER PROBLEM IN GRAPHS

Given an undirected graph G with nonnegative edges costs and nonnegative vertex penalties, the prize collecting Steiner problem in graphs (PCSPG) seeks a tree of G with minimum weight. The weight of a tree is the sum of its edge costs plus the sum of the penalties of those vertices not spanned by the tree. … Read more

Hierarchical Network Design Using Simulated Annealing

The hierarchical network problem is the problem of finding the least cost network, with nodes divided into groups, edges connecting nodes in each groups and groups ordered in a hierarchy. The idea of hierarchical networks comes from telecommunication networks where hierarchies exist. Hierarchical networks are described and a mathematical model is proposed for a two … Read more

Mesh Topology Design in Overlay Virtual Private Networks

We study the mesh topology design problem in overlay virtual private networks. Given a set of customer nodes and associated traffic matrix, tunnels that are connecting node pairs through a public service provider network subject to degree constraints are determined so as to minimize total multihopped traffic. Valid inequalities strengthening the LP relaxation and a … Read more