Resource Allocation for Multi-agent Problems in the Design of Future Communication Networks

Authors

Jorge Piovesan
Chaouki Abdallah
Herbert Tanner
Henry Jerez
Joud Khoury

Document Type

Technical Report

Publication Date

4-17-2007

Abstract

A new architecture for a smarter Internet abstracts the functional components of the network from the hardware that enables it. This is done via software agents that implement such functions and are capable of relocating themselves over the network to optimize resources. To achieve that we need an algorithm that governs the way agents distribute themselves in the physical network, and this paper presents our first effort towards this goal. We formulate the problem as an optimization problem, where agents must be distributed in the network, and can receive resources from the nodes they occupy according to their task requirements. This optimization problem is then solved in a hierarchical manner: A centralized (randomized) algorithm optimizes the agent distribution among the nodes, and a decentralized (convex optimization) algorithm performs the resource allocation within each node. We present simulation results showing that the hierarchical optimization algorithm achieves the desired objective. Finally we discuss our next steps towards decentralizing the proposed algorithm.

Recommended Citation

Piovesan, Jorge; Chaouki Abdallah; Herbert Tanner; Henry Jerez; and Joud Khoury. "Resource Allocation for Multi-agent Problems in the Design of Future Communication Networks." (2007). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/ece_rpts/18