Embedded network design to support availability differentiation

Abstract

The problem of how to provide, in a cost efficient manner, high levels of availability and service differentiation in communication networks was investigated in [Tipper-TelSyst-2014, Gomes-DRCN-2014, Alashaikh-CompNet-2015]. The strategy adopted was to embed in the physical layer topology a high availability set of links and nodes (termed the spine). The spine enables through protection, routing and cross layer mapping, the provisioning of differentiated classes of resilience with varying levels of end-to-end availability. Here we present an optimization model formulation of the spine design problem, considering link availability and the cost of upgrading link availability. The design problem seeks to minimize the cost while attaining a desired target flow availability. Extensive numerical results illustrate the benefits of modifying the availability of a subset of links of the network to implement quality of resilience classes.