Markov skeleton process in PERT networks

In this article, we investigate Programming Evaluation and Review Technique networks with independently and generally distributed activity durations. For any path in this network, we select all the activities related to this path such that the completion time of the sub-network (only consisting of all the related activities) is equal to the completion time of this path. We use the elapsed time as the supplementary variables and model this sub-network as a Markov skeleton process, the state space is related to the sub-network structure. Then use the backward equation to compute the distribution of the sub-network's completion time, which is an important rule in project management and scheduling.     

MARKOV SKELETON PROCESS IN PERT NETWORKS

In this article, we investigate Programming Evaluation and Review Technique networks with independently and generally distributed activity durations. For any path in this network, we select all the activities related to this path such that the completion time of the sub-network （only consisting of all the related activities） is equal to the completion time of this path. We use the elapsed time as the supplementary variables and model this sub-network as a Markov skeleton process, the state space is related to the subnetwork structure. Then use the backward equation to compute the distribution of the sub-network＇s completion time, which is an important rule in project management and scheduling.     

Algorithms for the quickest path problem and the reliable quickest path problem

The quickest path problem consists of finding a path in a directed network to transmit a given amount of items from an origin node to a destination node with minimal transmission time, when the transmission time depends on both the traversal times of the arcs, or lead time, and the rates of flow along arcs, or capacity. In telecommunications networks, arcs often also have an associated operational probability of the transmission being fault free. The reliability of a path is defined as the product of the operational probabilities of its arcs. The reliability as well as the transmission time are of interest. In this paper, algorithms are proposed to solve the quickest path problem as well as the problem of identifying the quickest path whose reliability is not lower than a given threshold. The algorithms rely on both the properties of a network which turns the computation of a quickest path into the computation of a shortest path and the fact that the reliability of a path can be evaluated through the reliability of the ordered sequence of its arcs. Other constraints on resources consumed, on the number of arcs of the path, etc. can also be managed with the same algorithms.     

Dynamic network reliability modeling under nonhomogeneous Poisson processes

In this paper, we consider a two-state (up and down) network consisting of n links. We study the D-spectrum based dynamic reliability of the network under the assumption that the links are subject to failure according to a nonhomogeneous Poisson process. Several mixture representations are provided for the reliability function of residual lifetime of used networks, under different conditions on the status of the network or its links. These representations enable us to explore the residual reliability of operating networks in terms of the reliability functions of residual lifetimes of upper record values. The distribution function of inactivity time of a network is examined under the condition that the network has failed by inspection time t. Stochastic ordering properties of the residual lifetimes of networks under conditional D-spectra are investigated. Several examples and graphs are also provided to illustrate the established results.     

Group synchronization in complex dynamical networks with different types of oscillators and adaptive coupling schemes

This paper focus on schemes and corresponding criteria for group synchronization in complex dynamical networks consisted of different group of chaotic oscillators. The global asymptotically stable criteria for a linearly or adaptively coupled network are derived to ensure each group of oscillators synchronize to the same behavior. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation results show that the group synchronization can be guaranteed by enhancing the external coupling strength whenever there are connections or not within the groups under the “same input” condition. All of the results are proved rigorously. Finally, a network with three groups, a scale-free sub-network, a small-world sub-network and a ring sub-network, is illustrated, and the corresponding numerical simulations verify the theoretical analysis.     

基于失效边数概率分布的K-终端网络重要度计算方法

重要度是现代网络薄弱环节识别的常用工具,其能量化网络不同的边对网络可靠性的影响程度。以往的K-终端网络重要度计算方法需已知网络边的可靠性以及边发生失效相互独立的条件,不能满足现实网络对于网络重要度计算的需求。鉴于此,为了突破这些条件的限制,本文在给定失效边数目的概率分布的背景下,发展K-终端网络重要度的计算方法,并提供一个十二面体网络的算例,验证了该计算方法的有效性和正确性。     

Calculation of minimal capacity vectors through k minimal paths under budget and time constraints

Reducing the transmission time is an important issue for a flow network to transmit a given amount of data from the source to the sink. The quickest path problem thus arises to find a single path with minimum transmission time. More specifically, the capacity of each arc is assumed to be deterministic. However, in many real-life networks such as computer networks and telecommunication networks, the capacity of each arc is stochastic due to failure, maintenance, etc. Hence, the minimum transmission time is not a fixed number. Such a network is named a stochastic-flow network. In order to reduce the transmission time, the network allows the data to be transmitted through k minimal paths simultaneously. Including the cost attribute, this paper evaluates the probability that d units of data can be transmitted under both time threshold T and budget B. Such a probability is called the system reliability. An efficient algorithm is proposed to generate all of lower boundary points for (d, T, B), the minimal capacity vectors satisfying the demand, time, and budget requirements. The system reliability can then be computed in terms of such points. Moreover, the optimal combination of k minimal paths with highest system reliability can be obtained.     

A cross entropy approach to design of reliable networks

One of the most important parameters determining the performance of communication networks is network reliability. The network reliability strongly depends on not only topological layout of the communication networks but also reliability and availability of the communication facilities. The selection of optimal network topology is an NP-hard problem so that computation time of enumeration-based methods grows exponentially with network size. This paper presents a new solution approach based on cross-entropy method, called NCE, to design of communication networks. The design problem is to find a network topology with minimum cost such that all-terminal reliability is not less than a given level of reliability. To investigate the effectiveness of the proposed NCE, comparisons with other heuristic approaches given in the literature for the design problem are carried out in a three-stage experimental study. Computational results show that NCE is an effective heuristic approach to design of reliable networks.     

Implementation of scatter search for multi-objective optimization: a comparative study

Interest in the design of efficient meta-heuristics for the application to combinatorial optimization problems is growing rapidly. The optimal design of water distribution networks is an important optimization problem which consists of finding the best way of conveying water from the sources to the users, thus satisfying their requirements. The efficient design of looped networks is a much more complex problem than the design of branched ones, but their greater reliability can compensate for the increase in cost when closing some loops. Mathematically, this is a non-linear optimization problem, constrained to a combinatorial space, since the diameters are discrete and it has a very large number of local solutions. Many works have dealt with the minimization of the cost of the network but few have considered their cost and reliability simultaneously. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the performance of an implementation of Scatter Search in a multi-objective formulation of this problem. Results obtained in three benchmark networks show that the method here proposed performs accurately well in comparison with other multi-objective approaches also implemented.     

Redundant paths and reliability bounds in gamma networks

Multistage Interconnection Networks (MINs) are network systems providing fast and efficient communications at a reasonable cost. A gamma network is a specific class of MINs, which provides redundant paths in the system. In a gamma network, information from source nodes is transmitted through a specific set of routes to destination nodes. Reliability of an MIN is used as a measure of system’s ability to transform information from input to output devices. Due to the complexity of network configuration and availability of redundant paths, reliability bounds to estimate the exact reliability of a gamma network is proposed. A numerical example of an 8 × 8 gamma network is presented to demonstrate the accuracy of the reliability bounds. When the lower bound reliability provides sufficient assurance that the system will be operational at some specified time and closely approximates the exact reliability, then no further effort for obtaining the exact reliability expression is necessary.     

Multi-objective optimization for stochastic computer networks using NSGA-II and TOPSIS

Network reliability is a performance indicator of computer/communication networks to measure the quality level. However, it is costly to improve or maximize network reliability. This study attempts to maximize network reliability with minimal cost by finding the optimal transmission line assignment. These two conflicting objectives frustrate decision makers. In this study, a set of transmission lines is ready to be assigned to the computer network, and the computer network associated with any transmission line assignment is regarded as a stochastic computer network (SCN) because of the multistate transmission lines. Therefore, network reliability means the probability to transmit a specified amount of data successfully through the SCN. To solve this multiple objectives programming problem, this study proposes an approach integrating Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). NSGA-II searches for the Pareto set where network reliability is evaluated in terms of minimal paths and Recursive Sum of Disjoint Products (RSDP). Subsequently, TOPSIS determines the best compromise solution. Several real computer networks serve to demonstrate the proposed approach.     

Multistate components assignment problem with optimal network reliability subject to assignment budget

The typical assignment problem for finding the optimal assignment of a set of components to a set of locations in a system has been widely studied in practical applications. However, this problem mainly focuses on maximizing the total profit or minimizing the total cost without considering component’s failure. In practice, each component should be multistate due to failure, partially failure, or maintenance. That is, each component has several capacities with a probability distribution and may fail. When a set of multistate components is assigned to a system, the system can be treated as a stochastic-flow network. The network reliability is the probability that d units of homogenous commodity can be transmitted through the network successfully. The multistate components assignment problem to maximize the network reliability is never discussed. Therefore, this paper focuses on solving this problem under an assignment budget constraint, in which each component has an assignment cost. The network reliability under a components assignment can be evaluated in terms of minimal paths and state-space decomposition. Subsequently an optimization method based on genetic algorithm is proposed. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can be executed in a reasonable time.     

A unified trust management strategy for content sharing in Peer-to-Peer networks

Content sharing has emerged as a popular application in Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networks. The increasing number of free-riders and untrustworthy peers in content sharing network reduces the credibility of the shared contents. Also, the malicious peers pose the danger of security violation and bandwidth wastage by sharing polluted or infected contents in the network for their personal benefits. In this paper, we propose a unified trust management strategy by combining trust and security models with reputation based preferences for efficient content sharing in P2P networks. The problems in P2P content sharing, like free-riding, content pollution, content poisoning, peer availability, content availability, DoS attack, and flash crowd are considered in our unified trust management model. The model provides controlled scalability of the overlay network, and concurrently ensures the availability of contents for longer time in the network. The provider initiating content sharing is protected from Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack through restricted network size and interspersing the provider within a set of distributed peers. Performance measures, such as scalability, content availability, flash crowd and prevention of polluted or infected content distribution are compared with BitTorrent in heterogeneous environment. The advantage of this model is that it can be deployed easily in BitTorrent-like P2P networks. Simulation results show that controlled scalability helps in efficient utilization of bandwidth and protection for the providers, ultimately ensuring trust on the P2P network and the content shared.     

A self-tuning heuristic for the design of communication networks

This paper addresses the design of communication networks that has a large application area. The problem is to design a minimum cost network subject to a given reliability level. Complexity of the problem is twofold: (1) finding a minimum-cost network topology that every pair of nodes can communicate with each other and (2) computing overall reliability to provide the reliability constraint. Over the last two decades, metaheuristic algorithms have been widely applied to solve this problem due to its NP-hardness. In this study, a self-tuning heuristic (STH), which is a new approach free from parameter tuning, is applied to the design of communication networks. Extensive computational results confirm that STH generates superior solutions to the problem in comparison to some well-known local search metaheuristics, and also more sophisticated metaheuristics proposed in the literature. The practical advantage of STH lies in both its effectiveness and simplicity in application to the design problem.     

On Strategic Defense in Stochastic Networks

This paper deals with the detection and prediction of losses due to cyber attacks waged on vital networks. The accumulation of losses to a network during a series of attacks is modeled by a 2-dimensional monotone random walk process as observed by an independent delayed renewal process. The first component of the process is associated with the number of nodes (such as routers or operational sites) incapacitated by successive attacks. Each node has a weight associated with its incapacitation (such as loss of operational capacity or financial cost associated with repair), and the second component models the cumulative weight associated with the nodes lost. Each component has a fixed threshold, and crossing of a threshold by either component represents the network entering a critical condition. Results are given as joint functionals of the predicted time of the first observed threshold crossing along with the values of each component upon this time.     

Framework for link reliability in inter-working multi-hop wireless networks

With the increase in deployment of multi-hop wireless networks and the desire for seamless internet access through ubiquitous connectivity, the inter-working of heterogeneous multi-hop wireless networks will become prominent in the near future. To complement the quest for ubiquitous service access, multi-mode mobile terminals are now in existence. Inter-working heterogeneous multi-hop wireless networks can provide seamless connectivity for such multi-mode nodes but introduces a number of challenges due to its dynamic network topology. One of the challenges in ensuring seamless access to service through these terminals in an inter-working environment is the selection of reliable wireless point-to-point links by the multi-hop nodes. A wireless link is said to be reliable if its radio attribute satisfies the minimum requirements for successful communication. Successful communication is specified by metrics such as signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR), probability of bit error etc. However, the multi-hop wireless networks being inter-worked may operate with different link layer protocols. Therefore, how can the reliability of a wireless link be estimated irrespective of the link level technologies implemented in the networks being inter-worked so that optimal paths can be used for multi-hopping between nodes? In this paper, a generic framework which can estimate the reliability of a link in inter-working multi-hop wireless network is presented. The framework uses the relationship between inter-node interference, SINR and the probability of bit error to determine the reliability of a wireless link between two nodes. There is a threshold for the probability of bit error on a link for the link to be termed reliable. Using parameters such as the SINR threshold, nodes’ transmission power, link distance and interfering node density, the framework can evaluate the reliability of a link in an inter-working multi-hop network.     

Design constraints for third-order PLL nodes in master-slave clock distribution networks

Clock signal distribution in telecommunication commercial systems usually adopts a master-slave architecture, with a precise time basis generator as a master and phase-locked loops (PLLs) as slaves. In the majority of the networks, second-order PLLs are adopted due to their simplicity and stability. Nevertheless, in some applications better transient responses are necessary and, consequently, greater order PLLs need to be used, in spite of the possibility of bifurcations and chaotic attractors. Here a master-slave network with third-order PLLs is analyzed and conditions for the stability of the synchronous state are derived, providing design constraints for the node parameters, in order to guarantee stability and reachability of the synchronous state for the whole network. Numerical simulations are carried out in order to confirm the analytical results.     

Financial planning for the preventive maintenance of power distribution systems via fuzzy AHP

One of the most important objectives of electricity distribution companies is to improve the reliability of the distribution networks. To this end, the electricity distribution companies try to optimally use the existing financial resources in the planning of preventive maintenance (PM) programs to reduce the imposed costs on the system due to the failure of network components and to improve the network reliability. In fuzzy analytical hierarchical process (fuzzy AHP) method, the degree of network reliability and the effectiveness of PM budget in the improvement of network reliability are selected as decision criteria in the budget allocation procedure. The areas served by the power distribution network are prioritized relative to each other and are assigned weights based on these priorities. The PM budget is determined based on the obtained weights. The medium voltage distribution network of seven areas in the city of Tehran have been selected for the implementation of the proposed method and the analysis of the obtained results. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 21: 36–46, 2016     

混合优化RBF-BP网络的板形缺陷识别

针对传统板形模式识别方法存在精度低、鲁棒性弱的问题,提出了一种混合优化RBF-BP组合神经网络板形模式识别方法。首先利用自组织映射网络(SOM)对样本聚类,利用聚类后的网络拓扑结构确定RBF的中心,并计算RBF的宽度,克服了传统聚类算法随机选取中心导致聚类结果不稳定的问题。然后利用遗传算法(GA)良好的全局搜索能力优化整个网络的权值。RBF-BP组合神经网络是由一个RBF子网和一BP子网串联构成的,该网络同时具备BP神经网络能较好地预测未知样本的能力以及RBF神经网络的逼近速度快的优点。并以某900HC可逆冷轧机板形识别为应用背景,在MATLAB2010a环境下进行仿真实验,结果表明混合优化RBF-BP组合神经网络的板形模式识别方法能够识别出常见的板形缺陷,提高了板形缺陷识别精度并具有较好的鲁棒性,可以满足板带轧机高精度的板形控制要求。     

考虑应急设施中断风险与防御的可靠性选址模型研究

为提高应急设施运行的可靠性和抵御中断风险的能力, 研究中断情境下的应急设施选址-分配决策问题。扩展传统无容量限制的固定费用选址模型, 从抵御设施中断的视角和提高服务质量的视角建立选址布局网络的双目标优化模型, 以应急设施的建立成本和抵御设施中断的加固成本最小为目标, 以最大化覆盖服务质量水平为目标, 在加固预算有限及最大最小容量限制约束下, 构建中断情境下应急设施的可靠性选址决策优化模型。针对所构建模型的特性利用非支配排序多目标遗传算法(NSGA-Ⅱ)求解该模型, 得到多目标的Pareto前沿解集。以不同的算例分析和验证模型和算法的可行性。在获得Pareto前沿的同时对不同中断概率进行灵敏度分析, 给出Pareto最优解集的分布及应急设施选址布局网络的拓扑结构。