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Shreyas Pai

Publications and source records attributed to Shreyas Pai.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Approximating Minimum Dominating Set with Few Awake Rounds

We study the Minimum Dominating Set (MDS) problem in the sleeping CONGEST model (Chatterjee, Gmyr, and Pandurangan, PODC 2020), a generalization of the standard CONGEST model, in which a node may sleep in some rounds and can only compute, send messages, or receive messages when it is awake. The awake complexity of an algorithm in this model is the worst case number (over all inputs and all nodes) of rounds a node is awake for during the execution of the algorithm. While there are several $O(\log \Delta)$-approximation algorithms (in expectation) for MDS that run in $O(\log^2 \Delta)$ rounds, all of these have $\Omega(\log^2 \Delta)$ awake complexity. Whether this awake complexity can be improved is the question that drives our work. We present the first $O(\log \Delta)$-approximation algorithm for MDS with $o(\log^2 \Delta)$ awake complexity; our algorithm runs in $O(\log^2\Delta)$ rounds with $\tilde{O}(\log\Delta)$ awake complexity. We can reduce the awake complexity further, but at the cost of approximation: we present, for any $1<\alpha\le\Delta$, an algorithm in the sleeping CONGEST model that computes an $O(\alpha\log\Delta)$-approximate dominating set in expectation in $\tilde{O}(\log\Delta\cdot \log_{\alpha} \Delta)$ rounds with $\tilde{O}(\log_{\alpha} \Delta)$ awake complexity. Our results depend on a generalization of the CONGEST model SetCover algorithm of Grunau, Mitrovi'c, Rubinfeld, and Vakilian (SODA 2020) that we develop. This generalization computes an $O(p\cdot q\cdot\log_p\Delta)$-approximate dominating set in $O(\log_p\Delta\cdot\log_q\Delta)$ rounds for parameters $1<p,q\le\Delta$. Our sleeping CONGEST algorithms apply a variety of techniques including sampling-based estimation and scheduling using virtual binary trees to the aforementioned 2-parameter SetCover algorithm.

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Distributed MIS Algorithms for Rational Agents using Games

We study the problem of computing a Maximal Independent Set (MIS) in distributed networks where each node is a rational agent whose payoff depends on whether it joins the MIS. Classical distributed algorithms assume that nodes follow the prescribed protocol, but this assumption fails when nodes are strategic and may deviate if doing so increases their expected utility. Standard MIS algorithms rely on honest randomness or unique identifiers to break symmetry. In rational settings, however, agents may manipulate randomness, and relying solely on identifiers can create unfairness, giving some nodes zero probability of joining the MIS and thus no incentive to participate. To address these issues, we propose two algorithms based on a utility model in which agents seek locally correct solutions while also having preferences over which solution is chosen. Randomness in our algorithms is generated through pairwise interactions between neighboring nodes, viewed as simple games in which no single node can unilaterally affect the outcome. This allows symmetry breaking while remaining compatible with rational behavior. For both algorithms, we prove that at every stage of the execution, given any history, no agent can increase its expected utility through a unilateral deviation, assuming others follow the algorithm. This gives a stronger guarantee than Trembling-Hand Perfect Equilibrium. When all nodes follow the protocol, every node has a positive probability of joining the MIS, and the final output is a correct MIS. Under mild additional assumptions, both algorithms terminate in $O(\log n)$ rounds with high probability.

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Message Optimality and Message-Time Trade-offs for APSP and Beyond

Round complexity is an extensively studied metric of distributed algorithms. In contrast, our knowledge of the \emph{message complexity} of distributed computing problems and its relationship (if any) with round complexity is still quite limited. To illustrate, for many fundamental distributed graph optimization problems such as (exact) diameter computation, All-Pairs Shortest Paths (APSP), Maximum Matching etc., while (near) round-optimal algorithms are known, message-optimal algorithms are hitherto unknown. More importantly, the existing round-optimal algorithms are not message-optimal. This raises two important questions: (1) Can we design message-optimal algorithms for these problems? (2) Can we give message-time tradeoffs for these problems in case the message-optimal algorithms are not round-optimal? In this work, we focus on a fundamental graph optimization problem, \emph{All Pairs Shortest Path (APSP)}, whose message complexity is still unresolved. We present two main results in the CONGEST model: (1) We give a message-optimal (up to logarithmic factors) algorithm that solves weighted APSP, using $\tilde{O}(n^2)$ messages. This algorithm takes $\tilde{O}(n^2)$ rounds. (2) For any $0 \leq \varepsilon \le 1$, we show how to solve unweighted APSP in $\tilde{O}(n^{2-\varepsilon })$ rounds and $\tilde{O}(n^{2+\varepsilon })$ messages. At one end of this smooth trade-off, we obtain a (nearly) message-optimal algorithm using $\tilde{O}(n^2)$ messages (for $\varepsilon = 0$), whereas at the other end we get a (nearly) round-optimal algorithm using $\tilde{O}(n)$ rounds (for $\varepsilon = 1$). This is the first such message-time trade-off result known.

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Fully Dynamic Adversarially Robust Correlation Clustering in Polylogarithmic Update Time

We study the dynamic correlation clustering problem with $\textit{adaptive}$ edge label flips. In correlation clustering, we are given a $n$-vertex complete graph whose edges are labeled either $(+)$ or $(-)$, and the goal is to minimize the total number of $(+)$ edges between clusters and the number of $(-)$ edges within clusters. We consider the dynamic setting with adversarial robustness, in which the $\textit{adaptive}$ adversary could flip the label of an edge based on the current output of the algorithm. Our main result is a randomized algorithm that always maintains an $O(1)$-approximation to the optimal correlation clustering with $O(\log^{2}{n})$ amortized update time. Prior to our work, no algorithm with $O(1)$-approximation and $\text{polylog}{(n)}$ update time for the adversarially robust setting was known. We further validate our theoretical results with experiments on synthetic and real-world datasets with competitive empirical performances. Our main technical ingredient is an algorithm that maintains $\textit{sparse-dense decomposition}$ with $\text{polylog}{(n)}$ update time, which could be of independent interest.

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Adaptive Massively Parallel Coloring in Sparse Graphs

Classic symmetry-breaking problems on graphs have gained a lot of attention in models of modern parallel computation. The Adaptive Massively Parallel Computation (AMPC) is a model that captures the central challenges in data center computations. Chang et al. [PODC'2019] gave an extremely fast, constant time, algorithm for the $(Δ+ 1)$-coloring problem, where $Δ$ is the maximum degree of an input graph of $n$ nodes. The algorithm works in the most restrictive low-space setting, where each machine has $n^δ$ local space for a constant $0 < δ< 1$. In this work, we study the vertex-coloring problem in sparse graphs parameterized by their arboricity $α$, a standard measure for sparsity. We give deterministic algorithms that in constant, or almost constant, time give $\text{poly} ~α$ and $O(α)$-colorings, where $α$ can be arbitrarily smaller than $Δ$. A strong and standard approach to compute arboricity-dependent colorings is through the Nash-Williams forest decomposition, which gives rise to an (acyclic) orientation of the edges such that each node has a small out-degree. Our main technical contribution is giving efficient deterministic algorithms to compute these orientations and showing how to leverage them to find colorings in low-space AMPC. A key technical challenge is that the color of a node may depend on almost all of the other nodes in the graph and these dependencies cannot be stored on a single machine. Nevertheless, our novel and careful exploration technique yields the orientation, and the arboricity-dependent coloring, with a sublinear number of adaptive queries per node.

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Online Locality Meets Distributed Quantum Computing

We connect three distinct lines of research that have recently explored extensions of the classical LOCAL model of distributed computing: A. distributed quantum computing and non-signaling distributions [e.g. STOC 2024], B. finitely-dependent processes [e.g. Forum Math. Pi 2016], and C. locality in online graph algorithms and dynamic graph algorithms [e.g. ICALP 2023]. We prove new results on the capabilities and limitations of all of these models of computing, for locally checkable labeling problems (LCLs). We show that all these settings can be sandwiched between the classical LOCAL model and what we call the randomized online-LOCAL model. Our work implies limitations on the quantum advantage in the distributed setting, and we also exhibit a new barrier for proving tighter bounds. Our main technical results are these: 1. All LCL problems solvable with locality $O(\log^\star n)$ in the classical deterministic LOCAL model admit a finitely-dependent distribution with locality $O(1)$. This answers an open question by Holroyd [2024], and also presents a new barrier for proving bounds on distributed quantum advantage using causality-based arguments. 2. In rooted trees, if we can solve an LCL problem with locality $o(\log \log \log n)$ in the randomized online-LOCAL model (or any of the weaker models, such as quantum-LOCAL), we can solve it with locality $O(\log^\star n)$ in the classical deterministic LOCAL model. One of many implications is that in rooted trees, $O(\log^\star n)$ locality in quantum-LOCAL is not stronger than $O(\log^\star n)$ locality in classical LOCAL.

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The Message Complexity of Distributed Graph Optimization

The message complexity of a distributed algorithm is the total number of messages sent by all nodes over the course of the algorithm. This paper studies the message complexity of distributed algorithms for fundamental graph optimization problems. We focus on four classical graph optimization problems: Maximum Matching (MaxM), Minimum Vertex Cover (MVC), Minimum Dominating Set (MDS), and Maximum Independent Set (MaxIS). In the sequential setting, these problems are representative of a wide spectrum of hardness of approximation. While there has been some progress in understanding the round complexity of distributed algorithms (for both exact and approximate versions) for these problems, much less is known about their message complexity and its relation with the quality of approximation. We almost fully quantify the message complexity of distributed graph optimization by showing the following results...[see paper for full abstract]

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Time and Space Optimal Massively Parallel Algorithm for the 2-Ruling Set Problem

In this work, we present a constant-round algorithm for the $2$-ruling set problem in the Congested Clique model. As a direct consequence, we obtain a constant round algorithm in the MPC model with linear space-per-machine and optimal total space. Our results improve on the $O(\log \log \log n)$-round algorithm by [HPS, DISC'14] and the $O(\log \log Δ)$-round algorithm by [GGKMR, PODC'18]. Our techniques can also be applied to the semi-streaming model to obtain an $O(1)$-pass algorithm. Our main technical contribution is a novel sampling procedure that returns a small subgraph such that almost all nodes in the input graph are adjacent to the sampled subgraph. An MIS on the sampled subgraph provides a $2$-ruling set for a large fraction of the input graph. As a technical challenge, we must handle the remaining part of the graph, which might still be relatively large. We overcome this challenge by showing useful structural properties of the remaining graph and show that running our process twice yields a $2$-ruling set of the original input graph with high probability.

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Conditionally Optimal Parallel Coloring of Forests

We show the first conditionally optimal deterministic algorithm for $3$-coloring forests in the low-space massively parallel computation (MPC) model. Our algorithm runs in $O(\log \log n)$ rounds and uses optimal global space. The best previous algorithm requires $4$ colors [Ghaffari, Grunau, Jin, DISC'20] and is randomized, while our algorithm are inherently deterministic. Our main technical contribution is an $O(\log \log n)$-round algorithm to compute a partition of the forest into $O(\log n)$ ordered layers such that every node has at most two neighbors in the same or higher layers. Similar decompositions are often used in the area and we believe that this result is of independent interest. Our results also immediately yield conditionally optimal deterministic algorithms for maximal independent set and maximal matching for forests, matching the state of the art [Giliberti, Fischer, Grunau, SPAA'23]. In contrast to their solution, our algorithms are not based on derandomization, and are arguably simpler.

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Fast Dynamic Programming in Trees in the MPC Model

We present a deterministic algorithm for solving a wide range of dynamic programming problems in trees in $O(\log D)$ rounds in the massively parallel computation model (MPC), with $O(n^δ)$ words of local memory per machine, for any given constant $0 < δ< 1$. Here $D$ is the diameter of the tree and $n$ is the number of nodes--we emphasize that our running time is independent of $n$. Our algorithm can solve many classical graph optimization problems such as maximum weight independent set, maximum weight matching, minimum weight dominating set, and minimum weight vertex cover. It can also be used to solve many accumulation tasks in which some aggregate information is propagated upwards or downwards in the tree--this includes, for example, computing the sum, minimum, or maximum of the input labels in each subtree, as well as many inference tasks commonly solved with belief propagation. Our algorithm can also solve any locally checkable labeling problem (LCLs) in trees. Our algorithm works for any reasonable representation of the input tree; for example, the tree can be represented as a list of edges or as a string with nested parentheses or tags. The running time of $O(\log D)$ rounds is also known to be necessary, assuming the widely-believed $2$-cycle conjecture. Our algorithm strictly improves on two prior algorithms: (i) Bateni, Behnezhad, Derakhshan, Hajiaghayi, and Mirrokni [ICALP'18] solve problems of these flavors in $O(\log n)$ rounds, while our algorithm is much faster in low-diameter trees. Furthermore, their algorithm also uses randomness, while our algorithm is deterministic. (ii) Balliu, Latypov, Maus, Olivetti, and Uitto [SODA'23] solve only locally checkable labeling problems in $O(\log D)$ rounds, while our algorithm can be applied to a much broader family of problems.

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Distributed Reconfiguration of Spanning Trees

In a reconfiguration problem, given a problem and two feasible solutions of the problem, the task is to find a sequence of transformations to reach from one solution to the other such that every intermediate state is also a feasible solution to the problem. In this paper, we study the distributed spanning tree reconfiguration problem and we define a new reconfiguration step, called $k$-simultaneous add and delete, in which every node is allowed to add at most $k$ edges and delete at most $k$ edges such that multiple nodes do not add or delete the same edge. We first observe that, if the two input spanning trees are rooted, then we can do the reconfiguration using a single $1$-simultaneous add and delete step in one round in the CONGEST model. Therefore, we focus our attention towards unrooted spanning trees and show that transforming an unrooted spanning tree into another using a single $1$-simultaneous add and delete step requires $Ω(n)$ rounds in the LOCAL model. We additionally show that transforming an unrooted spanning tree into another using a single $2$-simultaneous add and delete step can be done in $O(\log n)$ rounds in the CONGEST model.

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Sinkless Orientation Made Simple

The sinkless orientation problem plays a key role in understanding the foundations of distributed computing. The problem can be used to separate two fundamental models of distributed graph algorithms, LOCAL and SLOCAL: the locality of sinkless orientation is $Ω(\log n)$ in the deterministic LOCAL model and $O(\log \log n)$ in the deterministic SLOCAL model. Both of these results are known by prior work, but here we give new simple, self-contained proofs for them.

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Deterministic Massively Parallel Algorithms for Ruling Sets

In this paper we present a deterministic $O(\log\log n)$-round algorithm for the 2-ruling set problem in the Massively Parallel Computation model with $\tilde{O}(n)$ memory; this algorithm also runs in $O(\log\log n)$ rounds in the Congested Clique model. This is exponentially faster than the fastest known deterministic 2-ruling set algorithm for these models, which is simply the $O(\log Δ)$-round deterministic Maximal Independent Set algorithm due to Czumaj, Davies, and Parter (SPAA 2020). Our result is obtained by derandomizing the 2-ruling set algorithm of Kothapalli and Pemmaraju (FSTTCS 2012).

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A $(3+\varepsilon)$-Approximate Correlation Clustering Algorithm in Dynamic Streams

Grouping together similar elements in datasets is a common task in data mining and machine learning. In this paper, we study streaming algorithms for correlation clustering, where each pair of elements is labeled either similar or dissimilar. The task is to partition the elements and the objective is to minimize disagreements, that is, the number of dissimilar elements grouped together and similar elements that get separated. Our main contribution is a semi-streaming algorithm that achieves a $(3 + \varepsilon)$-approximation to the minimum number of disagreements using a single pass over the stream. In addition, the algorithm also works for dynamic streams. Our approach builds on the analysis of the PIVOT algorithm by Ailon, Charikar, and Newman [JACM'08] that obtains a $3$-approximation in the centralized setting. Our design allows us to sparsify the input graph by ignoring a large portion of the nodes and edges without a large extra cost as compared to the analysis of PIVOT. This sparsification makes our technique applicable in models such as semi-streaming, where sparse graphs can typically be handled much more efficiently. Our work improves on the approximation ratio of the recent single-pass $5$-approximation algorithm and on the number of passes of the recent $O(1/\varepsilon)$-pass $(3 + \varepsilon)$-approximation algorithm [Behnezhad, Charikar, Ma, Tan FOCS'22, SODA'23]. Our algorithm is also more robust and can be applied in dynamic streams. Furthermore, it is the first single pass $(3 + \varepsilon)$-approximation algorithm that uses polynomial post-processing time.

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Can We Break Symmetry with o(m) Communication?

We study the communication cost (or message complexity) of fundamental distributed symmetry breaking problems, namely, coloring and MIS. While significant progress has been made in understanding and improving the running time of such problems, much less is known about the message complexity of these problems. In fact, all known algorithms need at least $Ω(m)$ communication for these problems, where $m$ is the number of edges in the graph. We address the following question in this paper: can we solve problems such as coloring and MIS using sublinear, i.e., $o(m)$ communication, and if so under what conditions? [See full abstract in pdf]

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Sample-and-Gather: Fast Ruling Set Algorithms in the Low-Memory MPC Model

Motivated by recent progress on symmetry breaking problems such as maximal independent set (MIS) and maximal matching in the low-memory Massively Parallel Computation (MPC) model (e.g., Behnezhad et al.~PODC 2019; Ghaffari-Uitto SODA 2019), we investigate the complexity of ruling set problems in this model. The MPC model has become very popular as a model for large-scale distributed computing and it comes with the constraint that the memory-per-machine is strongly sublinear in the input size. For graph problems, extremely fast MPC algorithms have been designed assuming $\tildeΩ(n)$ memory-per-machine, where $n$ is the number of nodes in the graph (e.g., the $O(\log\log n)$ MIS algorithm of Ghaffari et al., PODC 2018). However, it has proven much more difficult to design fast MPC algorithms for graph problems in the low-memory MPC model, where the memory-per-machine is restricted to being strongly sublinear in the number of nodes, i.e., $O(n^\eps)$ for $0 < \eps < 1$. In this paper, we present an algorithm for the 2-ruling set problem, running in $\tilde{O}(\log^{1/6} Δ)$ rounds whp, in the low-memory MPC model. We then extend this result to $β$-ruling sets for any integer $β> 1$. Specifically, we show that a $β$-ruling set can be computed in the low-memory MPC model with $O(n^\eps)$ memory-per-machine in $\tilde{O}(β\cdot \log^{1/(2^{β+1}-2)} Δ)$ rounds, whp. From this it immediately follows that a $β$-ruling set for $β= Ω(\log\log\log Δ)$-ruling set can be computed in in just $O(β\log\log n)$ rounds whp. The above results assume a total memory of $\tilde{O}(m + n^{1+\eps})$. We also present algorithms for $β$-ruling sets in the low-memory MPC model assuming that the total memory over all machines is restricted to $\tilde{O}(m)$.

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Distributed Approximation on Power Graphs

We investigate graph problems in the following setting: we are given a graph $G$ and we are required to solve a problem on $G^2$. While we focus mostly on exploring this theme in the distributed CONGEST model, we show new results and surprising connections to the centralized model of computation. In the CONGEST model, it is natural to expect that problems on $G^2$ would be quite difficult to solve efficiently on $G$, due to congestion. However, we show that the picture is both more complicated and more interesting. Specifically, we encounter two phenomena acting in opposing directions: (i) slowdown due to congestion and (ii) speedup due to structural properties of $G^2$. We demonstrate these two phenomena via two fundamental graph problems, namely, Minimum Vertex Cover (MVC) and Minimum Dominating Set (MDS). Among our many contributions, the highlights are the following. - In the CONGEST model, we show an $O(n/ε)$-round $(1+ε)$-approximation algorithm for MVC on $G^2$, while no $o(n^2)$-round algorithm is known for any better-than-2 approximation for MVC on $G$. - We show a centralized polynomial time $5/3$-approximation algorithm for MVC on $G^2$, whereas a better-than-2 approximation is UGC-hard for $G$. - In contrast, for MDS, in the CONGEST model, we show an $\tildeΩ(n^2)$ lower bound for a constant approximation factor for MDS on $G^2$, whereas an $Ω(n^2)$ lower bound for MDS on $G$ is known only for exact computation. In addition to these highlighted results, we prove a number of other results in the distributed CONGEST model including an $\tildeΩ(n^2)$ lower bound for computing an exact solution to MVC on $G^2$, a conditional hardness result for obtaining a $(1+ε)$-approximation to MVC on $G^2$, and an $O(\log Δ)$-approximation to the MDS problem on $G^2$ in $\mbox{poly}\log n$ rounds.

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A Constant Approximation for Colorful k-Center

In this paper, we consider the colorful $k$-center problem, which is a generalization of the well-known $k$-center problem. Here, we are given red and blue points in a metric space, and a coverage requirement for each color. The goal is to find the smallest radius $ρ$, such that with $k$ balls of radius $ρ$, the desired number of points of each color can be covered. We obtain a constant approximation for this problem in the Euclidean plane. We obtain this result by combining a "pseudo-approximation" algorithm that works in any metric space, and an approximation algorithm that works for a special class of instances in the plane. The latter algorithm uses a novel connection to a certain matching problem in graphs.

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