A Genetic Algorithm for Solving the First Price Sealed Bid Auction in Communication Networks

Portilla-Figueras, S. Salcedo-Sanz, P. Garca-Daz, K. Hackbarth

Teora de la Seal y Comunicaciones, Universidad de Alcal Ingeniera de Comunicaciones, Universidad de Cantabria

Index

Intra-domain and Inter-domain Routing Problem Genetic Algorithms First Implementation Experiments and Results Conclusions

Routing Problem

Two points of view: User-Services

Internet traffic is growing at a very high rate. New broadband user, not only business but also residential New multimedia services real time demanding guaranteed QoS.

Network operators

Core network with enough capacity, but not the same in access. Free capacities that can be sold to ISP, Virtual Operatos or even other network operators Interconnection problem to provide QoS Services.

Interdomain vs Intradomain

Intradomain:

Interdomain

We consider a single administrative entity which owns the network. It has to guarantee the QoS to their customers, but obtaining the maximum benefit Link to Route Scale

We have to consider network of different operators. We have to establish agreements to meet the QoS requirements Centralized or distributed approach.

Why Auctions?

There is a current trend which applies economical concepts to network design and optimization. It is based in game theory including auctions. The most suitable auction procedure for telecommunication networks is based on Vickrey auctions:

Incentive compatibility. Individual rationality. Efficiency.

Even for very simple scenarios the problems gets NP-complex.

Genetic Algorithms

Genetic algorithm are a family of computational models inspired by the evolution. The first implementations was performed by J. Holland in 1975 which is known as the Canonical Genetic Algorithm. Their encode a potential solution to a specific problem on a simple chromosome data structure and applies some procedures (crossover, mutation, elitism) to make it evolve. They can be seen as population based optimizers using a corresponding fitness function which evaluates the goodness of the solution. Why does it work?

They consider the solution search space as hypercubes and the chromosomes are hyperplane partitions of the hypercube Each time a chromosome is evaluated many hypercubes are evaluated in an implicit parallel fashion. The cumulative effects of the hyperplane competitions (using the fitness function) makes the algorithm converge towards the final solution.

Genetic Algorithms

How it works?

Generate a initial population, usually randomly. Evaluate the fitness of each individual of the population. Selection is applied to generate an intermediate population. Better solutions have more possibilities or being selected to the next generation. Apply recombination (crossover) to generate the new population We also apply mutation to avoid fall in local minimums/maximums Evaluate the new fitnesses Repeat the process for all the generations.

Application of Genetic Algorithm

Problem Codification

Utility Function

U i a, ci i a ci
If ci=0, we have the Knapsack Problem

Inelastic Demand Valuation Function

i(ai)=iai<i.

Fitness function, Maximize

x p
i 1 i

Constraint, the capacity of the link, Q

x q
i 1 i

Q
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Experiments & Results

First Example (Only to see if it works)

Second, a real case

Evolution of the Social Welfare

Social Welfare

Benefit 91

100 80 60 40 20 0 1 11 21 31 41 51 61 71 81 91 Generations

Conclusions

Genetic algorithms have shown their capabilities to solve auction based resource assignment problems Ok, we know that we are using too much algorithmic power to such an easy problem. The work here is the starting point to tackle more complex problems, specifically:

Different types of user demands Different pricing schemes, (Vickrey) Defining a QoS route between two edge nodes.

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