A systematic method for network topology reconfiguration with limited link additions

As a promising approach to improve network survivability, reliability and flexibility, topology reconfiguration is extremely important for modern networked infrastructures. In particular, for an existing network and the limited link addition resources, it is valuable to determine how to optimally allocate the new link resources, such that the resulting network is the most robust and efficient. In this paper, we investigate the problem of network topology reconfiguration (NTR) optimization with limited link additions. A dynamic robustness metric is developed to quantitatively characterize the robust connectivity and the efficiency under either random or targeted attack. We show that the NTR optimization with limited link additions is NP-hard. Therefore, to approximately solve the problem, we develop a preferential configuration node-protecting cycle (PCNC) method for sequential link additions. Analysis showed that PCNC method provides an approximate optimal solution under the dynamic robustness metric when compared with the optimal solution found by exhaustive search. Simulation results also showed that PCNC method effectively improves the network robustness and communication efficiency at the cost of least added link resources. & 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.