We give a memoryless scale-invariant randomized algorithm for the Buffer Management with Bounded Delay problem that is e/(e-1)-competitive against an adaptive adversary, together with better performance guarantees for many restricted variants, including the s-bounded instances. In particular, our algorithm attains the optimum competitive ratio of 4/3 on 2-bounded instances.
Both the algorithm and its analysis are applicable to a more general problem, called Collecting Items, in which only the relative order between packets' deadlines is known. Our algorithm is the optimal randomized memoryless algorithm against adaptive adversary for that problem in a strong sense.
While some of provided upper bounds were already known, in general, they were attained by several different algorithms.
In the bounded delay buffer management problem unit size packets arrive online to be sent over a network link. The objective is to maximize the total weight of packets sent before their deadline. In this paper we are interested in the two-valued variant of the problem, where every packet has either low (1) or high priority weight ($α$ > 1). We show that its randomized competitive ratio against an oblivious adversary is 1 + ($α$ -- 1)/($α$ 2 + $α$).
In this paper, we present a probabilistic self-balancing dictionary data structure for massive data sets, and prove expected amortized I/O-optimal bounds on the dictionary operations. We show how to use the structure as an I/O-optimal priority queue. The data structure, which we call as the random buffer tree, abstracts the properties of the random treap and the buffer tree and has the same expected I/O-bounds as the buffer tree.
We give an $O(\log\log k)$-competitive randomized online algorithm for reordering buffer management, where $k$ is the buffer size. Our bound matches the lower bound of Adamaszek et al. (STOC 2011). Our algorithm has two stages which are executed online in parallel. The first stage computes deterministically a feasible fractional solution to an LP relaxation for reordering buffer management. The second stage "rounds" using randomness the fractional solution. The first stage is based on the online primal-dual schema, combined with a dual fitting argument. As multiplicative weights steps and dual…
We give a new analysis of the RMix algorithm by Chin et al. for the Buffer Management with Bounded Delay problem (or online scheduling of unit jobs to maximise weighted throughput). Unlike the original proof of e/(e-1)-competitiveness, the new one holds even in adaptive-online adversary model. In fact, the proof works also for a slightly more general problem studied by Bie{ń}kowski et al.
In the reordering buffer management problem, a sequence of requests must be executed by a service station, where a cost occurs for each pair of consecutive requests with different attributes. A reordering buffer management algorithm aims to permute the input sequence using the buffer to minimize the total cost. Reordering buffers has many potential applications in computer sciences and economics. In this article, we proved the minimum buffer length for the optimal solution to the reordering buffer management problem in the offline setting. With the assumption that color selection is always mad…
In the online packet buffering problem (also known as the unweighted FIFO variant of buffer management), we focus on a single network packet switching device with several input ports and one output port. This device forwards unit-size, unit-value packets from input ports to the output port. Buffers attached to input ports may accumulate incoming packets for later transmission; if they cannot accommodate all incoming packets, their excess is lost. A packet buffering algorithm has to choose from which buffers to transmit packets in order to minimize the number of lost packets and thus maximize t…
In this paper, we focus on buffer management of multi-queue QoS switches in which packets of different values are segregated in different queues. Our model consists of $m$ queues and $m$ packet values $0 < v_{1} < v_{2} < ... < v_{m}$. Recently, Al-Bawani and Souza [IPL 113(4), pp.145-150, 2013] presented an online algorithm GREEDY for buffer management of multi-queue QoS switches with class segregation and showed thatif $m$ queues have the same size, then the competitive ratio of GREEDY is $1+r$, where $r=\max_{1 \leq i \leq m-1} v_{i}/v_{i+1}$. In this paper, we precisely analyze the behavio…
In the reordering buffer management problem (RBM) a sequence of $n$ colored items enters a buffer with limited capacity $k$. When the buffer is full, one item is removed to the output sequence, making room for the next input item. This step is repeated until the input sequence is exhausted and the buffer is empty. The objective is to find a sequence of removals that minimizes the total number of color changes in the output sequence. The problem formalizes numerous applications in computer and production systems, and is known to be NP-hard. We give the first constant factor approximation guaran…
We present deterministic and randomized algorithms for the problem of online packet routing in grids in the competitive network throughput model \cite{AKOR}. In this model the network has nodes with bounded buffers and bounded link capacities. The goal in this model is to maximize the throughput, i.e., the number of delivered packets. Our deterministic algorithm is the first online algorithm with an $O\left(\log^{O(1)}(n)\right)$ competitive ratio for uni-directional grids (where $n$ denotes the size of the network). The deterministic online algorithm is centralized and handles packets with de…
The bounded delay buffer management problem, which was proposed by Kesselman et~al.\ (STOC 2001 and SIAM Journal on Computing 33(3), 2004), is an online problem focusing on buffer management of a switch supporting Quality of Service (QoS). The problem definition is as follows: Packets arrive to a buffer over time and each packet is specified by the {\em release time}, {\em deadline} and {\em value}. An algorithm can transmit at most one packet from the buffer at each integer time and can gain its value as the {\em profit} if transmitting a packet by its deadline after its release time. The obj…
We study the problem of buffer management in QoS-enabled network switches in the bounded delay model where each packet is associated with a weight and a deadline. We consider the more realistic situation where the network switch has a finite buffer size. A 9.82-competitive algorithm is known for the case of multiple buffers (Azar and Levy, SWAT'06). Recently, for the case of a single buffer, a 3-competitive deterministic algorithm and a 2.618-competitive randomized algorithm was known (Li, INFOCOM'09). In this paper we give a simple deterministic 2-competitive algorithm for the case of a singl…
We consider a new model for buffer management of network switches with Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. A stream of packets, each attributed with a value representing its Class of Service (CoS), arrives over time at a network switch and demands a further transmission. The switch is equipped with multiple queues of limited capacities, where each queue stores packets of one value only. The objective is to maximize the total value of the transmitted packets (i.e., the weighted throughput). We analyze a natural greedy algorithm, GREEDY, which sends in each time step a packet with the greates…
Asymptotically Robust Learning-Augmented Algorithms for Preemptive FIFO Buffer Management
Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Cheng Kung University（资讯工程系，国立成功大学）；Department of Computer Science, National Tsing Hua University（计算机科学系，国立清华大学）
We consider algorithms to schedule packets with values and deadlines in a size-bounded buffer. At any time, the buffer can store at most B packets. Packets arrive over time. Each packet has a non-negative value and an integer deadline. In each time step, at most one packet can be sent. Packets can be dropped at any time before they are sent. The objective is to maximize the total value gained by delivering packets no later than their respective deadlines. This model generalizes the well-studied bounded-delay model (Hajek. CISS 2001. Kesselman et al. STOC 2001). We first provide an optimal offl…
The cup game on $n$ cups is a multi-step game with two players, a filler and an emptier. At each step, the filler distributes $1$ unit of water among the cups, and then the emptier selects a single cup to remove (up to) $1$ unit of water from. There are several objective functions that the emptier might wish to minimize. One of the strongest guarantees would be to minimize tail size, which is defined to be the number of cups with fill $2$ or greater. A simple lower-bound construction shows that the optimal tail size for deterministic emptying algorithms is $Θ(n)$, however. We present a simple …
Motivated by providing quality-of-service differentiated services in the Internet, we consider buffer management algorithms for network switches. We study a multi-buffer model. A network switch consists of multiple size-bounded buffers such that at any time, the number of packets residing in each individual buffer cannot exceed its capacity. Packets arrive at the network switch over time; they have values, deadlines, and designated buffers. In each time step, at most one pending packet is allowed to be sent and this packet can be from any buffer. The objective is to maximize the total value of…
In the reordering buffer problem (RBP), a server is asked to process a sequence of requests lying in a metric space. To process a request the server must move to the corresponding point in the metric. The requests can be processed slightly out of order; in particular, the server has a buffer of capacity k which can store up to k requests as it reads in the sequence. The goal is to reorder the requests in such a manner that the buffer constraint is satisfied and the total travel cost of the server is minimized. The RBP arises in many applications that require scheduling with a limited buffer ca…
We consider the following fundamental routing problem. An adversary inputs packets arbitrarily at sources, each packet with an arbitrary destination. Traffic is constrained by link capacities and buffer sizes, and packets may be dropped at any time. The goal of the routing algorithm is to maximize throughput, i.e., route as many packets as possible to their destination. Our main result is an $O\left(\log n\right)$-competitive deterministic algorithm for an $n$-node line network (i.e., $1$-dimensional grid), requiring only that buffers can store at least $5$ packets, and that links can deliver …
We study the \emph{bounded-delay model} for Qualify-of-Service buffer management. Time is discrete. There is a buffer. Unit-length jobs (also called \emph{packets}) arrive at the buffer over time. Each packet has an integer release time, an integer deadline, and a positive real value. A packet's characteristics are not known to an online algorithm until the packet actually arrives. In each time step, at most one packet can be sent out of the buffer. The objective is to maximize the total value of the packets sent by their respective deadlines in an online manner. An online algorithm's performa…
In this paper we improve the approximation ratio for the problem of scheduling packets on line networks with bounded buffers, where the aim is that of maximizing the throughput. Each node in the network has a local buffer of bounded size $B$, and each edge (or link) can transmit a limited number, $c$, of packets in every time unit. The input to the problem consists of a set of packet requests, each defined by a source node, a destination node, and a release time. We denote by $n$ the size of the network. A solution for this problem is a schedule that delivers (some of the) packets to their des…
Dynamic memory management requires special attention in programming. It should be fast and secure at the same time. This paper proposes a new randomized dynamic memory management algorithm designed to meet these requirements. Randomization is a key feature intended to protect applications from "use-after-free" or similar attacks. At the same time, the state in the algorithm consists only of one pointer, so it does not consume extra memory for itself. However, our algorithm is not a universal solution. It does not solve the memory fragmentation problem and it needs further development and testi…
In the Multislope Ski Rental problem, the user needs a certain resource for some unknown period of time. To use the resource, the user must subscribe to one of several options, each of which consists of a one-time setup cost (``buying price''), and cost proportional to the duration of the usage (``rental rate''). The larger the price, the smaller the rent. The actual usage time is determined by an adversary, and the goal of an algorithm is to minimize the cost by choosing the best option at any point in time. Multislope Ski Rental is a natural generalization of the classical Ski Rental problem…
In this paper, we revisit the classic problem of run generation. Run generation is the first phase of external-memory sorting, where the objective is to scan through the data, reorder elements using a small buffer of size M , and output runs (contiguously sorted chunks of elements) that are as long as possible. We develop algorithms for minimizing the total number of runs (or equivalently, maximizing the average run length) when the runs are allowed to be sorted or reverse sorted. We study the problem in the online setting, both with and without resource augmentation, and in the offline settin…
In this paper we study the single-item revenue management problem, with no information given about the demand trajectory over time. When the item is sold through accepting/rejecting different fare classes, Ball and Queyranne (2009) have established the tight competitive ratio for this problem using booking limit policies, which raise the acceptance threshold as the remaining inventory dwindles. However, when the item is sold through dynamic pricing instead, there is the additional challenge that offering a low price may entice high-paying customers to substitute down. We show that despite this…
We resolve a number of long-standing open problems in online graph coloring. More specifically, we develop tight lower bounds on the performance of online algorithms for fundamental graph classes. An important contribution is that our bounds also hold for randomized online algorithms, for which hardly any results were known. Technically, we construct lower bounds for chordal graphs. The constructions then allow us to derive results on the performance of randomized online algorithms for the following further graph classes: trees, planar, bipartite, inductive, bounded-treewidth and disk graphs. …
Network management protocols often require timely and meaningful insight about per flow network traffic. This paper introduces Randomized Admission Policy (RAP) - a novel algorithm for the frequency and top-k estimation problems, which are fundamental in network monitoring. We demonstrate space reductions compared to the alternatives by a factor of up to 32 on real packet traces and up to 128 on heavy-tailed workloads. For top-k identification, RAP exhibits memory savings by a factor of between 4 and 64 depending on the skew of the workload. These empirical results are backed by formal analysi…
In this paper, we introduce the online service with delay problem. In this problem, there are $n$ points in a metric space that issue service requests over time, and a server that serves these requests. The goal is to minimize the sum of distance traveled by the server and the total delay in serving the requests. This problem models the fundamental tradeoff between batching requests to improve locality and reducing delay to improve response time, that has many applications in operations management, operating systems, logistics, supply chain management, and scheduling. Our main result is to sho…
We consider parametrized versions of metrical task systems and metrical service systems, two fundamental models of online computing, where the constrained parameter is the number of possible distinct requests $m$. Such parametrization occurs naturally in a wide range of applications. Striking examples are certain power management problems, which are modeled as metrical task systems with $m=2$. We characterize the competitive ratio in terms of the parameter $m$ for both deterministic and randomized algorithms on hierarchically separated trees. Our findings uncover a rich and unexpected picture …
We study the dynamic power optimization problem in data centers. We formulate and solve the following offline problem: in which slot which server has to be assigned to which job; and in which slot which server has to be switched ON or OFF so that the total power is optimal for some time horizon. We show that the offline problem is a new version of generalized assignment problem including new constraints issuing from deadline characteristics of jobs and difference of activation energy of servers. We propose an online algorithm that solves the problem heuristically and compare it to randomized r…
We consider one of the simplest and best known buffer management architectures: the shared memory switch with multiple output queues and uniform packets. It was one of the first models studied by competitive analysis, with the Longest Queue Drop (LQD) buffer management policy shown to be at least $\sqrt{2}$- and at most $2$-competitive; a general lower bound of $4/3$ has been proven for all deterministic online algorithms. Closing the gap between $\sqrt{2}$ and $2$ has remained an open problem in competitive analysis for more than a decade, with only marginal success in reducing the upper boun…
We consider greedy contention managers for transactional memory for M x N execution windows of transactions with M threads and N transactions per thread. Assuming that each transaction conflicts with at most C other transactions inside the window, a trivial greedy contention manager can schedule them within CN time. In this paper, we show that there are much better schedules. We present and analyze two new randomized greedy contention management algorithms. The first algorithm Offline-Greedy produces a schedule of length O(C + N log(MN)) with high probability, and gives competitive ratio O(log…
