Data Backup Network Formation with Heterogeneous Agents

TL;DR

This paper extends social storage network models by incorporating agent heterogeneity through Social Range Matrices, analyzing stability conditions, and proposing algorithms to determine the existence and uniqueness of bilaterally stable networks.

Contribution

It introduces heterogeneity into social storage models using Social Range Matrices and provides conditions and algorithms for network stability and uniqueness.

Findings

Conditions for link addition and deletion among agents

Algorithm to check bilaterally stable networks

Proof of uniqueness under certain parameters

Abstract

Social storage systems are becoming increasingly popular compared to the existing data backup systems like local, centralized and P2P systems. An endogenously built symmetric social storage model and its aspects like the utility of each agent, bilateral stability, contentment, and efficiency have been extensively discussed in Mane et. al. (2017). We include heterogeneity in this model by using the concept of Social Range Matrix from Kuznetsov et. al (2010). Now, each agent is concerned about its perceived utility, which is a linear combination of its utility as well as others utilities (depending upon whether the pair are friends, enemies or do not care about each other). We derive conditions when two agents may want to add or delete a link, and provide an algorithm that checks if a bilaterally stable network is possible or not. Finally, we take some special Social Range Matrices and prove that under certain conditions on network parameters, a bilaterally stable network is unique.