Experimental models for network mesh topologies with designs that enhance survivability

Abstract

Network design problems involving survivability usually include trade-off of the potential for lost revenues and customer goodwill against the extra costs required to increase the network survivability. It also involves selection of nodes and edges from lists of potential sets to accomplish certain desirable properties. In many applications it is imperative to have built-in reliability or survivability of the network. Delays of traffic are undesirable since it affects quality of service (QoS) to clients of the network. In this dissertation we consider the construction of an optimization system for network design with survivability properties that may help in the planning of mesh topologies while maintaining a certain degree of survivability of the network. This is done by providing for at least two diverse paths between certain "special" nodes to provide protection against any single edge or node failure. This part is modelled by using mixed integer programming techniques. A software product called CPLEX then solves these models and various facilities are built into the decision support system to allow the decision maker to experiment with some topological and flow requirement changes.