A Distributed Virtual Network Mapping Algorithm

Network visualization is a promising concept to diversify the future Internet architecture into separate virtual networks (VN) that can support simultaneously multiple network experiments, services and architectures over a shared substrate network. To take full advantage of this paradigm this paper addresses the challenge of assigning VNs to the underlying physical network in a distributed and efficient manner. A distributed algorithm responsible for load balancing and mapping virtual nodes and links to substrate nodes and links has been designed, implemented and evaluated. A VN mapping protocol is proposed to communicate and exchange messages between agent-based substrate nodes to achieve the mapping. Results of the implementation and a performance evaluation of the distributed VN mapping algorithm using a multi-agent approach are reported.