A Genetic Algorithm Approach To Planning

This paper describes an application of genetic algorithms to telecommunications network planning. A description is given of passive optical networks (PONs), a form of optical bre network. These networks increase the diiculty of the network planning task as their topology is more complex than that of traditional copper cable based networks. Computer tools for network planning are increasingly becoming a requirement. A description is given of what is required of a network planning system. The planning problem is then formulated as an optimisa-tion, and a representation described so that a genetic algorithm can be used as an opti-miser. The performance of two operators, the edge recombination operator and the partial match crossover, are compared on the problem .