Distributed Approximation of k-Service Assignment

We consider the k-Service Assignment problem (k-SA), defined as follows. The input consists of a network that contains servers and clients, and an integer k. Each server has a finite capacity, and each client is associated with a demand and a profit. A feasible solution is an assignment of clients to neighboring servers such that (i) the total demand assigned to a server is at most its capacity, and (ii) a client is assigned either to k servers or to none. The profit of an assignment is the total profit of clients that are assigned to k servers, and the goal is to find a maximum profit assignment. In the r-restricted version of k-SA, no client requires more than an r-fraction of the capacity of any adjacent server. The k-SA problem is motivated by backup placement in networks and by resource allocation in 4G cellular networks. It can also be viewed as machine scheduling on related machines with assignment restrictions. We present a centralized polynomial time greedy (k+1-r)/(1-r)-approximation algorithm for r-restricted k-SA. We then show that a variant of this algorithm achieves an approximation ratio of k+1 using a resource augmentation factor of 1+r. We use the latter to present a (k+1)^2-approximation algorithm for k-SA. In the distributed setting, we present: (i) a (1+epsilon)*(k +1-r)/(1-r)-approximation algorithm for r-restricted k-SA, (ii) a (1+epsilon)(k+1)-approximation algorithm that uses a resource augmentation factor of 1+r for r-restricted k-SA, both for any constant epsilon>0, and (iii) an O{k^2}-approximation algorithm for k-SA (in expectation). The three distributed algorithms compute a solution with high probability and terminate in O(k^2 *log^3(n)) rounds

On distributed virtual network embedding with guarantees

To provide wide-area network services, resources from different infrastructure providers are needed. Leveraging the consensus-based resource allocation literature, we propose a general distributed auction mechanism for the (NP-hard) virtual network (VNET) embedding problem. Under reasonable assumptions on the bidding scheme, the proposed mechanism is proven to converge, and it is shown that the solutions guarantee a worst-case efficiency of (1-(1/e)) relative to the optimal node embedding, or VNET embedding if virtual links are mapped to exactly one physical link. This bound is optimal, that is, no better polynomial-time approximation algorithm exists, unless P=NP. Using extensive simulations, we confirm superior convergence properties and resource utilization when compared to existing distributed VNET embedding solutions, and we show how by appropriate policy design, our mechanism can be instantiated to accommodate the embedding goals of different service and infrastructure providers, resulting in an attractive and flexible resource allocation solution.CNS-0963974 - National Science Foundationhttp://www.cs.bu.edu/fac/matta/Papers/ToN-CAD.pdfAccepted manuscrip

On distributed virtual network embedding with guarantees

To provide wide-area network services, resources from different infrastructure providers are needed. Leveraging the consensus-based resource allocation literature, we propose a general distributed auction mechanism for the (NP-hard) virtual network (VNET) embedding problem. Under reasonable assumptions on the bidding scheme, the proposed mechanism is proven to converge, and it is shown that the solutions guarantee a worst case efficiency of (?????) relative to the optimal solution, and that this bound is optimal, that is, no better approximation exists. Using extensive simulations, we confirm superior convergence properties and resource utilization when compared with existing distributed VNET embedding solutions, and we show how byappropriate policy design, our mechanism can be instantiated to accommodate the embedding goals of different service and infrastructure providers, resulting in an attractive and flexible resource allocation solution.This work is supported in part by the National Science Foundation under grant CNS-0963974

On distributed virtual network embedding with guarantees

To provide wide-area network services, resources from different infrastructure providers are needed. Leveraging the consensus-based resource allocation literature, we propose a general distributed auction mechanism for the (NP-hard) virtual network (VNET) embedding problem. Under reasonable assumptions on the bidding scheme, the proposed mechanism is proven to converge, and it is shown that the solutions guarantee a worst case efficiency of (?????) relative to the optimal solution, and that this bound is optimal, that is, no better approximation exists. Using extensive simulations, we confirm superior convergence properties and resource utilization when compared with existing distributed VNET embedding solutions, and we show how byappropriate policy design, our mechanism can be instantiated to accommodate the embedding goals of different service and infrastructure providers, resulting in an attractive and flexible resource allocation solution.This work is supported in part by the National Science Foundation under grant CNS-0963974