Algorithms for delay-constrained low-cost multicast tree construction

Abstract

With the proliferation of multimedia group applications, the construction of multicast trees satisfying quality of service (QoS) requirements is becoming a problem of prime importance. Multicast groups are usually classi®ed as sparse or pervasive groups depending on the physical distribution of group members. They are also classi®ed based on the temporal characteristics of group membership into static and dynamic groups. In this paper, we propose two algorithms for constructing multicast trees for multimedia group communication in which the members are sparse and static. The proposed algorithms use a constrained distributed unicast routing algorithm for generating low-cost, bandwidth and delay constrained multicast trees. These algorithms have lower message complexity and call setup time due to their nature of iteratively adding paths, rather than edges, to partially constructed trees. We study the performance (in terms of call acceptance rate, call setup time and multicast tree cost) of these algorithms through simulation by comparing them with that of a recently proposed algorithm (V. Kompella, J.C. Pasquale, G.C. Polyzos, Two distributed algorithms for the constrained Steiner tree problem, in: Proc. Comp. Comm. Networking, San Diego, CA, June 1993) for the same problem. The simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithms provide larger call acceptance rates, lower setup times and comparable tree costs.