Optimal coupling patterns in interconnected communication networks

TL;DR

This paper explores how the pattern of coupling links between interconnected networks affects traffic capacity, using simulated annealing to find near-optimal configurations that outperform random or simple coupling strategies.

Contribution

It introduces a simulated annealing-based method to optimize coupling patterns in interconnected networks, enhancing traffic capacity over traditional approaches.

Findings

SA-optimized coupling significantly improves traffic capacity

Optimal coupling patterns outperform random, assortative, and disassortative couplings

A faster method for selecting coupling links is developed

Abstract

Traffic dynamics on single or isolated complex networks has been extensively studied in the past decade. Recently, several coupled network models have been developed to describe the interactions between real-world networked systems. In a system of interconnected networks, the coupling links refer to the physical links between networks and provide paths for traffic transmission. Thus, the coupling pattern, i.e., the way coupling links are added, has a profound influence on the overall traffic performance. In this paper, we employ a simulated annealing (SA) algorithm to find a near-optimal configuration of the coupling links, which effectively improves the overall traffic capacity compared with random, assortative and disassortative couplings. Furthermore, we investigate the optimal configuration of coupling links given by the SA algorithm and develop a faster method to select the coupling links.