by investigating different mathematical models and solution
methods.
The rest of this section informally characterizes network
data and model parameters of SNDlib. Precise mathemat-
ical formulations for the current SNDlib models are given
in Section 3, serving both as example formulations and as
specifications of the sets of feasible and optimal solutions
of the SNDlib problems. Examples and a detailed defini-
tion of the I/O formats can be found on the SNDlib website
http://sndlib.zib.de.
2.1. SNDlib Network
An SNDlib network describes the structure of a network,
the traffic to be routed, and the set of admissible routing paths.
The network structure is defined as the sets of nodes and links.
The set of links defines potential connections between the
nodes which may be used to carry traffic; parallel links are
allowed. For every link, the amount of preinstalled capacity
and cost is given, as well as list of installable capacity modules
with their associated cost. Additionally, a fixed-charge cost
for using the link is defined, as well as a flow cost incurred
by traffic routed through that link.
The set of communication demands describes the traffic
to be routed. Each demand is characterized by its end-nodes
and the volume of traffic that has to be routed through the
network expressed in multiples of some base routing unit. The
routing unit of a demand defines the amount of link capacity
consumed by one unit of the demand’s traffic (corresponding,
for instance, to 2 Mbit/s, 155 Mbit/s, or 2.5 Gbit/s).
Finally, the set of admissible routing paths is either defined
as an empty list, meaning that every possible path is admissi-
ble, or as a nonempty set of paths specified for each demand.
A hop limit may be imposed for each demand, i.e., a maxi-
mum number of links for each admissible routing path. If the
SNDlib model specifies that this hop limit should be taken
into account, it further restricts the set of admissible paths.
2.1.1. Example of an SNDlib Network. Consider a three-
node network Example representing an SDH transport net-
work. For the purpose of this example, assume that each
point-to-point demand request is given as an integer multiple
of a base routing unit of 2 Mbit/s or 155 Mbit/s. Link band-
width can be installed in integer multiples of 155 Mbit/s or
622 Mbit/s, respectively. Because of the overhead bandwidth
required for monitoring purposes, if a bitrate of 2 Mbit/s cor-
responds to 1 unit of capacity, then 155 Mbit/s correspond to
63 units and 622 Mbit/s correspond to 252 units.
An example network might be specified as follows (in the
SNDlib native ASCII format):
NODES (
# Format: name (longitude latitude)
A ( 13.298 52.455 )
B ( 21.012 52.219 )
C ( 7.427 43.739 )
)
LINKS (
# Format: name (src tgt) precap precost rcost fixcost ({cap cost}*)
L_AB (AB) 63 100 10 1000 ( 63 1200 252 3700 )
L_AC (AC) 0 0 10 1000 ( 63 500 252 1700 )
L_BC (BC) 0 0 10 1000 ( 63 600 252 2100 )
)
DEMANDS (
# Format: name (src tgt) routing_unit value hoplimit
D_AB1 (AB) 165 UNLIMITED
D_AB2 (AB) 63 4 1
)
ADMISSIBLE_PATHS (
# Format: name ({path_id ( link_name+ )}+)
D_AB1 ( P1 ( L_AB ) P2 ( L_AC L_BC ) )
D_AB2 ( P1 ( L_AB ) )
)
The nodes section describes the set of node locations in
the network. The coordinates are included only for drawing
purposes.
The links section describes the set of potential links with
their installable capacity and cost. Suppose that unit 1 cor-
responds to 2 Mbit/s. Then link L_AB has 63 capacity units
278 NETWORKS—2010—DOI 10.1002/net